C-NRLF 


SB    37M    IBM 


M13RARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

GIFT   OF 

Mrs.  SARAH  P.  WALSWORTH. 

Received  October,  1894. 
^Accessions  No.  5~*T0£?w>-      Class  No. 


INTRODUCTORY 


LESSONS    ON    MORALS, 


CHRISTIAN  EVIDENCES. 


BY 


RICHARD  WHATELY,   D.D.,  LL.D. 


CAMBRIDGE: 
JOHN      BART  LETT. 

1856. 


CAMBRIDGE: 

ELECTROTYPED    AND    PRINTED    1JY   METCALP  AND   COMPANY. 


PREFACE. 


THE  special  merits  of  the  following  treatise 
on  Practical  Ethics  will  be  found  to  be  simplici 
ty  of  method,  general  clearness  of  style,  a  good 
absence  of  technical  terms  and  artificial  classifi 
cations,  a  singular  aptness  and  familiarity  of 
illustration,  respect  for  common  sense  in  the  de 
velopment  of  principles,  the  doctrines  it  exhibits 
of  the  essential  unity  of  virtue,  of  the  nature  of 
conscience,  and  of  the  determining  efficacy  of 
motives,  frequent  appeals  to  Scriptural  sanc 
tions,  and  the  uniform  practice  of  referring  the 
quality  of  actions  to  the  spiritual  state  in  man 
out  of  which  they  proceed.  It  is  mainly  for 
these  traits  that  this  work  has  been  selected 
from  among  the  many  presented  to  the  public 
notice,  and  is  now  republished  here  as  a  text 
book  for  elementary  instruction. 


IV  PREFACE. 

The  only  "  Morals"  that  the  educating  plans 
of  Christian  nations  can  finally  concern  them 
selves  much  about  are,  in  the  high  and  broad 
acceptation,  Christian  morals.  It  is  but  a  lim 
ited  and  partial  service,  though  an  actual  one, 
that  science,  in  the  ordinary  sense,  can  render  to 
the  moral  life.  It  is  certainly  true,  that  there  is 
such  a  thing  as  a  science  of  man's  moral  nature, 
legitimate  and  justified ;  as  it  is  also  true,  that 
psychology  may  be  treated  under  ethical  aspects. 
But  traditionary  notions  of  categorical  processes, 
and  the  ambition  of  system-builders,  have  often 
hindered  a  vital  apprehension  of  the  simple  and 
sublime  laws  of  the  soul  working,  under  the 
Spirit,  towards  the  absolute  right  and  good. 
Divine  truth  creates  its  own  modes,  and  imposes 
its  own  conditions.  It  needs  only  to  be  wel 
comed,  in  the  clear  shining  of  its  own  light,  — 
only  to  be  studied  in  a  teachable  temper  and  ac 
cording  to  the  natural  necessities  of  experience, 
—  that  it  may  reveal  its  reality  and  beauty. 
The  grand  ethical  attainment  is  to  come  into 
right,  genuine  relations  with  the  Creator.  Man 
learns  his  duties,  not  by  rules  and  formulas,  but 
through  a  pure  attitude  towards  the  Infinite  Fa- 


PREFACE. 


ther.  The  subject  is  to  be  unfolded,  not  as  an 
agglomeration  of  facts,  but  as  a  living  power. 
It  accosts  the  understanding  less  than  the  will. 
It  proceeds  less  by  analysis  than  by  sympathet 
ic  communications  of  purpose  and  aspiration. 
There  is  but  one  root  for  all  excellences  in  dis 
position  or  deed.  The  best  system  of  ethics 
would  grow  out  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
In  the  great  New  Testament  maxim,  "  Love 
God  and  man,"  lies  the  central  and  germinal 
idea  of  all  true  policies,  economies,  common 
wealths,  duties.  The  life  of  Christ  is  the  norm 
of  all  morality.  For  ethical  science  the  spiritual 
order  is  the  only  logical  order.  The  proof  of 
this  profound  principle  is  in  the  readiness  and 
facility  with  which  it  joins  moral  ideas  to  ac 
tions,  informs  circumstance  with  intention,  and 
applies  doctrine  to  all  the  exigencies  and  shapes 
of  life ;  —  because  what  is  most  true  is  always 
most  practical.  When  this  is  realized,  a  com 
prehensive,  consistent,  and  complete  philosophy 
of  human  character  and  conduct  may  be  written. 
The  subsequent  discussion  of  Christian  Evi 
dences  appears  to  present  what  is  most  impor 
tant  to  a  primary  investigation  of  the  grounds  of 


VI  PREFACE. 

belief,  in  a  lucid  arrangement,  unencumbered 
with  extrinsic  matter.  The  author's  treatment 
has  also  the  advantage  of  actually  investing  the 
array  of  outward  proofs  with  something  of  the 
attraction  and  interest  of  the  internal  testimony, 
—  not  confusing  the  two  departments,  yet  not 
raising  too  sharp  a  distinction  between  them. 

In  affixing  the  name  of  Archbishop  Whately 
to  both  parts  of  this  work,  —  although  they  were 
first  published  anonymously,  —  we  follow  the 
common  opinion  as  to  their  authorship,  —  an 
opinion  not  contradicted  on  his  authority. 

F.  D.  H. 

CAMBRIDGE,  August,  1856. 


CONTENTS. 


LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

LESSON   I. 

CONSCIENCE. 

PAGE 

1.  The  Law  of  the  Land  no  Complete  Standard        ...      1 

2.  The  Law  does  not  control  Motives         .  ...          2 

3.  Ah^MenJiave  some  Notion  of  Right  and  Wrong    ...      3 

4.  Scripture  does  not  profess   to  give  Precise  Rules  for  Con 

duct  in  all  Cases  .      .  .....          4 

MPT,  ng  r 


6.  Moral  Goodness  attributed  to  God     .....          7 

7.  Obedience  to  the  Divine  Will  is  a  Duty        ....      8 

LESSON  II. 

THE  DIVINE  WILL. 

§  1.  A  Divine  Command  in  any  Particular  Point  creates  a  Duty   10 

2.  Moral  Precepts  and  Positive  Precepts       .        .        .        .        11 

3.  Moral  Precepts  to  be  observed  in  the  Spirit,  and  Positive  in 

the  Letter        .........    13 

4.  Compliance  with  Positive  Precepts  a  Moral  Duty    .        .        15 

5.  Shi  implies  a  Moral  Faculty        ....  .    16 

LESSON    III. 

ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO   DUTY  IN  SCRIPTURE. 

§  1.  What  Scripture  reveals  in  Reference  to  Duty       .        .        .18 
2.  God's  Approval  of  Virtue          ......        19 


V1U  CONTENTS. 

3.  Divine  Approbation  of  Virtue  an  Encouragement        .        .  20 

4.  Divine  Aid  in  the  Performance  of  Duty    ....  22 

5.  Scripture  Examples 23 


LESSON   IV. 

OFFICE  OF   SCRIPTURE  IN  REFERENCE  TO  MORAL,  CONDUCT. 

§  1.  The  Golden  Rule           25 

2.  Application  of  the  Golden  Rule 26 

3.  Design  of  the  Golden  Rule 27 

4.  Offices  of  Scripture  and  of  Conscience      ....  28 

5.  Regulation  of  Conscience 29 


LESSON   V. 

MODE  OF  MORAL  TEACHING   OF   SCRIPTURE. 

1.  Difference  of  the  Gospel-teaching  from  that  of  the  Law  .    31 

2.  Men  accustomed  to  Precise  Rules    .                  ...  32 

3.  Principles  substituted  for  Exact  Rules          .        .        .  .33 

4.  Moral  Discretion 34 

5.  Principles  taught  by  Instances  in  Small  Matters           .  .    36 

6.  Importance  of  Right  Motives 37 

7.  Virtue  and  Vice  depend  on  the  Motives        .        .        .  .39 


LESSON   VI. 

MORAL    DISCIPLINE. 

1.  Object  of  requiring  Good  Conduct 41 

2.  Good  Works  by  Proxy       .......  42 

3.  Works  required  for  the  Sake  of  the  Works   .        .        .  .43 

4.  Righteousness  of  God         .......  45 

5.  Good  Conduct  has  no  Natural  Claim  to  Reward  .        .  .46 
G.  Reward  and  Punishment  when  due  .        .  47 


CONTENTS.  bt 

LESSON  VII. 

PROPER  OFFICE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 

§  1.  Foundation  of  our  Moral  Notions 51 

2.  Two  Things  requisite  for  Virtuous  Conduct      ...  52 

3.  Man  under  the  Law  and  under  the  Gospel    .        .        .        .54 

4.  Depraving  of  Conscience 56 

5.  Misapplying  of  Scripture 58 


LESSON  VTII. 

REGULATION  OF   CONSCIENCE. 

1.  Conscience  never  to  be  opposed 62 

2.  A  Wrong  Principle  makes  it  impossible  to  act  rightly      .        63 

3.  Careful  Study  needed  for  Good  Conduct       .        .        .        .65 

4.  Divine  Blessing  bestowed  on  Diligent  Care       ...        66 


LESSON   IX. 

DIFFICULTIES   OF  MORAL  DISCIPLINE. 

1.  Moral  Improvement  a  Laborious  Task           .        .  .        .68 

2.  No  Direct  Pleasure  from  Conformity  to  Conscience  .        69 

3.  Indirect  Gratifications  from  the  Discharge  of  Duty  .        .    71 

4.  Supremacy  of  Conscience 72 

5.  Amiable  Feelings  to  be  under  Control           .        .  .        .73 


LESSON   X. 

CULTIVATION  OF   RIGHT  FEELINGS. 

§  1.  Feelings  not  under  the  Direct  Control  of  the  Will         .        .    75 

2.  Feelings  under  the  Control  of  the  Will  indirectly      .        .        76 

3.  How  to  influence  one's  Feelings  78 


:  CONTENTS. 

4.  Control  of  Feelings  gradual 79 

5.  Right  Acts  lead  to  Right  Inclinations 81 

6.  Right  Actions  must  be  what  are  done  on  Right  Principles  83 


LESSON   XL 

FORMATION  OF  HABITS. 

1.  What  is  practised,  that  will  be  learnt    .  .    85 

2.  Opposite  Habits  acquired  among  the  same  Things    .        .  87 

3.  Progress  in  forming  a  Virtuous  Character    .        .        .  .89 

4.  Virtue  a  Struggle  of  Good  against  Evil      ....  90 

5.  Imitation  of  our  Heavenly  Father 92 


LESSON    XII. 

IMITATION  OF  JESUS. 

1.  Example  of  our  Saviour 95 

2.  Jesus  had  Human  Feelings 96 

3.  The  Nature  of  the  Lord  Jesus  mysterious  ....  97 

4.  Jesus  a  Faultless  Model 99 

5.  Danger  of  Erroneous  Imitation 101 


LESSON  XHI. 

IMITATION  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 

§  1.  How  far  the  Apostles  are  to  be  imitated      ....  103 

2.  How  far  the  Example  of  our  Lord  is  not  to  be  followed  .  104 

3.  False  Imitation  of  the  Lord  Jesus 105 

4.  Mistakes  as  to  the  Conduct  of  the  Apostles     .        .        .  106 

5.  The  Apostles  never  tortured  Themselves    .        .        .        .107 

6.  Goods  of  Christians  not  Common 108 


CONTENTS.  XI 

LESSON  XIV. 

SINGLENESS  OF  VIRTUE. 

§  1.  Various  Treatises  on  Morals        .        .'       .        .        .        .111 

2.  Virtues  not  distinct,  like  the  Arts 112 

3.  Apparent,  but  not  Real  Virtue 113 

4.  The  Sacred  Writers,  and  the  Heathen  Philosophers,  agree  on 

the  Oneness  of  Virtue 114 

5.  Consistency 116 

6.  Men  apt  to  trust  in  one  Supposed  Virtue    ....    117 

LESSON  XV. 

EASIER  AND   HARDER  DUTIES. 

§  1.  Differences  in  Men's  Dispositions 119 

2.  Analogy  of  Bodily  Constitutions 120 

3.  Care  of  Bodily  Health  and  of  Moral 121 

4.  Enumeration  of  Virtues  not  necessary    ....         123 

5.  Mode  of  Instruction  in  the  New  Testament         .        .        .124 

LESSON  XVI. 

MISCELLANEOUS   CAUTIONS.  —  PART  I. 

§  1.  The  Matter  to  -which  our  Conduct  relates  should  be  well  un 
derstood          126 

2.  Right  Principles  not  to  be  reserved  for  Great  Occasions          128 

3.  Self-Love  and  Selfishness 129 

'  4.  Retiring  from  the  World 132 

5.  Occasions  for  doing  Good  to  be  looked  out  for    .        .        .    133 

LESSON    XVII. 

MISCELLANEOUS  CAUTIONS.  —  PART  II. 

§  1.  Veracity  and  Fidelity 134 

2.  What  constitutes  Moral  Truth  and  Falsehood         .        .         135 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

3.  Implied  Promises 137 

4.  Cases  in  which  a  Promise  is  not  binding         .        .        .  140 

5.  Falsehoods  of  Suppression  .......  142 

6.  Connivance  at  Deceit       .......  143 

7.  Pious  Frauds 145 

8.  Consequences  of  Deception      ......  148 


LESSON  XVHI. 

MISCELLANEOUS   CAUTIONS. — PART  III. 

1.  Coveting     ' 150 

2.  Personal  Injuries 153 

3.  Christian  Humility 155 

4.  Confessions  of  the  Depravity  of  Man       ....  156 

5.  Just  Estimate  of  One's  Self 159 

6.  .General  Confessions,  and  Confession  Avithout  Amendment  161 

7.  MoralJudgments  of  the  Vulgar 162 

8.  Virtues  that  are  not  generally  approved  ....  163 


LESSON  XIX. 

SELF-EXAMINATION.  —  PART  I. 

§  1.  Stated  Times  for  Self-Exam  ination 166 

2.  Candor  in  Self-Examination     ......  167 

3.  Progress  in  Virtue  to  be  marked 169 

4.  Despair  leads  to  Neglect 171 

5.  Virtuous  Progress  to  be  hoped  for 172 


LESSON    XX. 

SELF-EXAMINATION.  —  PART  II. 

§  1.  Christian  Knowledge 174 

2.  Scripture  to  be  studied  intelligently        ....        175 


CONTENTS.  yiii 

3.  Practical  Study 176 

4.  Outward  Acts  not  the  only  Virtuous  Practice         .        .  178 

5.  Advice  of  Friends        ........  179 

6.  Signs  of  Progress ISO 

7.  Heads  of  Self-Examination                                                   ,  183 


CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

LESSON  PAGE 

I.  FIRST  EISE  OF  CHRISTIANITY 187 

n.  FAITH  AND  CREDULITY 194 

III.  ANCIENT  BOOKS 201 

IV.  PROPHECIES 206 

V.  MIRACLES.    PART  1 211 

VI.  MIRACLES.    PART  II 217 

VII.  MIRACLES.    PART  III 222 

VIII.  WONDERS  AND  SIGNS 229 

IX.  SUMMARY  OF  EVIDENCES 235 

X.  INTERNAL  EVIDENCES.    PART  1 242 

XI.  INTERNAL  EVIDENCES.    PART  II.          ....  252 

XII.  INTERNAL  EVIDENCES.    PART  in 257 

XIII.  OBJECTIONS.    PART  1 270 

XIV.  OBJECTIONS.    PART  II 278 

XV.  MODERN  JEWS.    PART  1 290 

XVI.  MODERN  JEWS.    PART  II 297 


LESSONS   ON   MORALS 


LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 


LESSON     I. 

CONSCIENCE. 

§  1.  —  TJie  Law  of  the  Land  no  complete  Standard. 

THE  law  of  the  land  ought  not  to  be  made  our 
standard  of  moral  right  and  wrong.  It  is  indeed  our 
duty  to  obey  the  laws,  unless  there  should  be  a  law 
commanding  us  to  do  something  absolutely  wrong  ; 
but  this  is  only  a  part  of  our  duty,  and  not  the  whole. 
For  there  are  many  things  to  which  a  good  man  will 
think  himself  morally  bound,  though  they  are  what 
no  laws  make  any  mention  of;  such  as  gratitude  to 
a  benefactor,  charity  to  the  poor,  and  many  others. 
Such  duties  cannot  be  enjoined  by  any  human  laws,  be 
cause  they  are  what  cannot  be  enforced;  being  in  their 
own  nature  voluntary.  When  a  man  is  compelled  to 
make  repayment  to  one  who  has  advanced  him  money, 
or  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  poor,  there  is  no 
gratitude  or  charity  in  the  case.  For  these  consist  in 
giving  of  one's  own  free  will ;  and  no  one  can  be  said  to 
give  what  the  law  obliges  him  to  pay.  If  therefore  any 
one  should  have  been  well  inclined  to  contribute  a  cer- 
1 


2  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

tain  sum  towards  the  relief  of  his  poor  neighbors,  still, 
as  soon  as  the  law  obliges  him  to  contribute  that  sum,  it 
is  no  gift ;  because  what  the  law  requires  him  to  part 
with  is  no  longer  his  own. 

So  also  there  are  many  things  which  every  good 
man  would  consider  wrong,  but  which  the  law  does  not 
prohibit,  because  it  could  not  prevent  them,  or  because 
the  attempt  to  prevent  them  would  do  more  harm  than 
good.  What  are  called  "  sumptuary  laws  "  have  been, 
for  this  reason,  abolished  in  most  civilized  countries. 
For  though  it  is  wrong  for  a  man  to  spend  more  than 
he  can  properly  afford,  in  fine  clothes,  furniture,  and 
feasts,  beyond  his  station,  the  attempt  to  prevent  this,  by 
legal  interference  with  each  man's  private  expenditure, 
has  always  been  found  to  be  intolerably  troublesome, 
and  almost  entirely  ineffectual. 

§  2.  —  The  Law  does  not  control  Motives. 

But  it  was  pointed  out,  in  the  second  place,  that  even 
if  it  were  possible  for  the  laws  to  enjoin  everything  that 
is  good,  and  prohibit  everything  that  is  wrong,  still  a 
man  who  should  act  rightly  merely  in.  obedience  to  the 
laws,  and  for  the  sake  of  avoiding  legal  penalties,  would 
not  be  at  all  what  any  one  would  account  a  good  man, 
because  he  would  not  be  acting  from  a  virtuous  motive  ; 
and  it  is  entirely  on  the  motives  and  disposition  of  the 
mind  that  the  moral  character  of  any  one's  conduct  de 
pends.  An  action,  indeed,  which  is  done  "from  a  bad  or 
from  an  inferior  motive,  may  be  in  itself  right,  as  being 
what  a  good  man  would  be  disposed  to  do ;  as  when  a 
man  pays  his  debts  for  fear  of  being  imprisoned,  or  hav 
ing  his  goods  seized ;  but  this  does  not  make  him  an 
honest  man. 


CONSCIENCE.  3 

You  can  plainly  see,  therefore,  how  great  an  error  it 
would  be  for  a  man  to  make  the  law  of  the  land  his 
standard  of  right  and  wrong,  and  to  be  satisfied  with 
himself  as  long  as  he  did  but  comply  with  the  laws. 
For,  in  the  first  place,  he  might  do  much  that  is  wrong, 
and  might  omit  many  duties,  without  transgressing  any 
law  ;  and  secondly,  when  he  did  do  what  is  right  in  it 
self,  yet  not  because  it  is  right,  but  merely  for  fear  of 
legal  penalties,  though  this  would  be  a  benefit  to  the 
public,  it  would  be  no  virtue  in  him. 

§3.  —  AH  Men  have  some  Notion  of  Right  and  Wrong. 

All  men,  except  perhaps  some  few  of  the  wildest  sav 
ages,  have  some  notion  of  moral  right  and  wrong,  inde 
pendently  of  human  laws.  There  is  hardly  any  one 
who  would  not  account  it  a  good  thing  to  relieve  a  dis 
tressed  neighbor,  and  a  bad  thing  to  treat  a  benefactor 
with  ingratitude ;  though  these  are  matters  which  laws 
do  not  notice.  And  every  one  would  allow  that  who 
ever  has  borrowed  anything,  is  bound  in  duty  to  repay 
it,  even  though  there  were  no  law  to  compel  him  to  do 
so. 

But  there  are  several  points  in  which  different  na 
tions,  and  different  persons,  vary  considerably  as  to  their 
notions  of  what  is  morally  good  and  bad.  The  same 
things  which  are  condemned  by  some,  are  approved 
by  others.  And  this  has  led  some  persons  to  doubt 
whether  there  is  any  such  faculty  in  the  human  mind 
as  that  which  is  commonly  called  "  Conscience,"  or 
"  Moral  sense,"  or  "  Moral  faculty." 

But  you  should  remember  that  every  one  of  our  facul 
ties  is  capable  of  cultivation  and  improvement,  and  is 


LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

also  liable  to  be  corrupted  and  depraved,  and  is  subject 
to  various  imperfections.  Human  Reason  is  far  from 
being  infallible;  for  many  men  are  deceived  by  falla 
cious  arguments,  and  fall  into  various  errors ;  and  there 
are  great  varieties  in  the  opinions  formed  by  different 
persons.  Yet  no  one  would  on  that  ground  deny  that 
Man  is  a  rational  Being.  And  again,  you  may  oc 
casionally  see  great  variations  even  in  the  bodily  sens 
es,  and  in  the  bodily  formation,  of  different  individuals. 
But  we  do  not  consider  these  variations  as  doing  away 
with  all  general  rules.  Some  are  born  idiots,  and  some 
blind ;  some  have  been  born  with  only  one  arm,  and 
some  with  neither  arms  nor  legs.  Yet  we  speak  of  Man 
as  a  Being  possessing  reason,  and  having  eyes,  and  arms, 
and  legs.  And  again,  to  a  person  in  fever,  sweet  things 
taste  bitter ;  and  some  have  a  taste  so  depraved  by  dis 
ease  or  by  habit  as  to  prefer  bitter  or  sour  things  to 
sweet.  Yet  no  one  would  deny  that  wormwood  is  bitter, 
and  honey  sweet ;  or  would  say  that  aloes  has  naturally 
a  pleasanter  taste  than  honey.  And  it  would  be  equally 
absurd  to  deny  that  there  is  anything  naturally  odious 
in  ingratitude,  or  that  justice  and  beneficence  are  natural 
and  proper  objects  of  approbation. 

§  4.  —  Scripture  does  not  profess  to  give  Precise  Rules 
for  Conduct  in  all  Cases. 

Some,  however,  nlay  be  disposed  to  think  that  it  is  of 
no  consequence  to  Christians  what  may  be  the  natural 
faculties  of  Man  in  all  that  relates  to  moral  conduct,  or 
what  may  have  been  said  or  thought  on  the  subject 
by  heathens,  since  we  have  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  a 
sufficient  guide  to  teach  us  all  that  we  are  to  do  or 
avoid. 


CONSCIENCE.  5 

But  this  would  be  to  mistake  altogether  the  whole 
character  of  our  Scriptures.  You  may  see,  even  from 
Scripture  itself,  that  it  was  never  designed  to  supply  a 
complete  set  of  precise  rules  as  to  every  part  of  our  con 
duct  ;  and  that  the  sacred  writers  do  not  address  them 
selves  as  to  men  that  had  no  natural  notion  of  moral 
right  and  wrong.  They  do  indeed  notice  such  errors  in 
particular  points  as  their  hearers  were  the  most  apt  to 
fall  into,  and  they  dwell  on  such  particular  duties  as  had 
been  most  neglected.  But  they  do  not  attempt  to  go 
through  in  detail  all  things  that  a  Christian  is  required 
to  do  or  to  abstain  from.  And  they  are  so  far  from 
supposing  their  hearers  to  require  to  be  taught  the  first 
rudiments  of  morality,  —  the  fundamental  distinction  be 
tween  moral  good  and  evil, —  that,  on  the  contrary,  they 
appeal  to  the  moral  principles  of  their  people,  and  call 
upon  them  to  judge  and  decide  according  to  those  prin 
ciples.  And  they  appeal  to  them,  not  only  as  Christians, 
but  as  human  creatures  ;  for  they  speak  of  the  Gentiles 
before  the  Gospel  had  been  revealed  to  them,  as  "  know 
ing  "  (when  they  lived  in  gross  vice)  "  that  they  who  do 
such  things  are  worthy  of  death,"  and  they  speak  of 
some  who,  "  not  having  the  [divine]  law,  do,  by  nature, 
the  things  of  the  law ;  their  conscience  also  bearing  wit 
ness,  and  their  thoughts  accusing  or  else  excusing  one 
another."  (Rom.  ii.  14.) 

§  5.  —  Scripture  addresses  Men  as  possessing  a 
Conscience. 

Moreover,  our  Lord  says  that  "  the  servant  who  knew 
not  his  lord's  will,  and  did  commit  things  worthy  of 
stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few  stripes;  but  that  he 
1* 


6  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

who  knew  his  lord's  will  and  did  it  not,  shall  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes."  Now,  that  one  who  knew  his  lord's 
will  and  did  it  not,  should  receive  the  heavier  punish 
ment,  is  a  rule  which  one  can  easily  understand ;  but 
that  one  "  who  knew  not  his  lord's  will "  —  that  is,  who 
had  not  received  any  express  command  —  could  "  com 
mit  things  worthy  of  stripes"  would  be  utterly  incon 
ceivable,  if  we  supposed  all  notions  of  right  and  wrong 
to  have  been  originally  derived  entirely  from  a  knowl 
edge  of  the  divine  will. 

And  again,  when  the  Apostles  exhort  Christians  to. 
think  on  and  practise  "  whatsoever  things  are  pure,  what 
soever  things  are  honest  and  lovely,  and  of  good  re 
port";  and,  "giving  all  diligence,  to  add  to  their  faith 
virtue,  and  temperance,  and  patience," ,  and  the  like,  it 
is  plain  they  could  not  have  been  speaking  to  men  who 
had  no  notion  of  what  is  meant  by  virtue,  and  temper 
ance,  and  purity,  &c.,  and  who  needed  to  be  taught  pre 
cisely  what  is  to  be  accounted  good  and  bad  conduct  on 
each  point ;  just  as  you  would  inform  a  blind  man  that 
snow  has  a  quality  called  white,  and  grass  green,  and 
coal  black,  and  the  like. 

Indeed,  the  ancient  heathen  philosophers,  who  had  no 
belief  in  a  future  state  of  reward  and  punishment,  or  in 
any  revelation  made  to  man,  used  the  words  which  we 
translate  "virtue,"  and  gave,  on; the  whole,  much  the 
same  descriptions  of  virtue  and  vice  that  any  one  would 
do  now.  And  this  would  evidently  have  been  ^  impos 
sible,  if  Man  had  been  naturally  quite  destitute  of  all 
moral  faculty. 


CONSCIENCE.  7 

§  6.  —  Moral  Goodness  attributed  to  God. 

Moreover,  the  sacred  writers  always  speak  of  God  as 
just  and  good,  and  his  command  as  right  and  reasonable. 
"Are  not  my  ways,"  says  He  by  a  prophet,  "equal? 
Are  not  your  ways  unequal  ?"  And  again,  "  Why,  even 
of  yourselves  judge  ye  not  what  is  right  ?  "  Now  all 
this  would  have  been  quite  unmeaning  if  Man  had  no 
idea  of  wrhat  is  good  or  bad  in  itself,  and  meant  by  those 
words  merely  what  is  commanded  or  forbidden  by  God. 
For,  then,  to  say  that  God's  commands  are  just  and 
good,  would  be  only  saying  that  his  commands  are  his 
commands.  If  man  had  not  been  originally  endowed 
by  his  Maker  with  any  power  of  distinguishing  be 
tween  moral  good  and  evil,  or  with  any  preference  of 
the  one  to  the  other,  then  it  would  be  mere  trifling  to 
speak  of  the  divine  goodness  ;  since  it  would  be  merely 
saying  that  "  God  is  what  He  is,"  — which  is  no  more  < 
than  might  be  said  of  any  Being  in  the  universe. 

Whenever,  therefore,  you  hear  any  one  speaking  of 
our  having  derived  all  our  notions  of  morality  from  the 
will  of  God,  the  sense  in  which  you  must  understand 
him  is,  that  it  was  God's  will  to  create  Man  a  Being 
endowed  with  conscience,  and  capable  of  perceiving  the 
difference  of  right  and  wrong,  and  of  understanding  that 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  Duty.  And  if  any  one  should 
use  expressions  which  seem  not  to  mean  this,  but  to  im 
ply  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  natural  Conscience,  — 
no  idea  in  the  human  mind  of  such  a  thing  as  Duty,  — 
still  you  may  easily  prove  that  his  real  meaning  must 
be  what  we  have  said.  If  any  persons  tell  you  that 
our  first  notion  of  right  and  wrong  is  entirely  derived 


8  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

I  from  the  Divine  Law,  and  that  those  words  have  no 
meaning  except  obedience  and  disobedience  to  the  de 
clared  will  of  God,  you  may  ask  them  whether  it  is  a 
matter  of  duty  to  obey  God's  will,  or  merely  a  matter  of 
prudence,  inasmuch  as  He  is  able  to  punish  those  who 
rebel  against  Him  ?  Whether  they  think  that  God  is 
justly  entitled  to  obedience,  or  merely  that  it  would  be 
very  rash  to  disobey  one  who  has  power  to  enforce  his 
commands  ? 

They  will  doubtless  answer,  that  we  ought  to  obey 
the  divine  commands  as  a  point  of  duty,  and  not  merely 
on  the  ground  of  expediency;  that  God  is  not  only 
powerful,  but  good ;  and  that  conformity  to  his  will  is 
a  thing  right  in  itself,  and  should  be  practised,  not 
through  mere  fear  of  punishment,  or  hope  of  reward, 
but  because  it  is  right. 

§  7.  —  Obedience  to  the  Divine  Will  is  a  Duty. 

Now  this  proves  that  they  must  be  sensible  that  there 
is  in  the  human  mind  some  notion  of  such  a  thing  as 
Duty,  and  of  things  being  right  or  wrong  in  their  own 
nature.  For,  when  any  persons  submit  to  the  will  of  an 
other  merely  because  it  is  their  interest,  or  because  they 
dare  not  resist,  we  never  speak  of  this  submission  as  a 
matter  of  duty,  but  merely  of  prudence.  If  robbers  were 
to  seize  you  and  carry  you  off  as  a  slave,  threatening 
you  with  death  if  you  offered  to  resist  or  to  escape,  you 
might  think  it  advisable  to  submit,  if  you  saw  that  re 
sistance  would  be  hopeless ;  but  you  would  not  think 
yourself  bound  in  duty  to  do  so.  Or  again,  if  you  Avere 
offered  good  wages  for  doing  some  laborious  work,  you 
might  think  it  expedient  to  accept  the  offer,  but  you 


CONSCIENCE.  9 

would  not  account  it  a  moral  duty.  And  when  a  farm 
er  supplies  his  cattle,  or  a  slave-owner  his  slaves,  with 
abundance  of  the  best  of  food,  in  order  that  they  may 
be  in  good  condition,  and  do  the  more  work  for  himself, 
or  fetch  a  better  price,  and  not  from  benevolence  to 
them,  every  one  would  regard  this  as  mere  prudence, 
and  not  virtue.  And  we  judge  the  same  in  every  case 
where  a  man  is  acting  solely  with  a  view  to  his  own  ad 
vantage. 

You  can  easily  prove,  therefore,  that  when  people 
speak  of  a  knowledge  of  the  divine  will  being  the  origin 
of  all  our  moral  notions,  they  cannot  mean  exactly  what 
the  words  would  seem  to  signify ;  if,  at  least,  they  admit 
at  the  same  time  that  it  is  a  matter  of  duty,  and  not 
merely  of  prudence,  to  obey  God's  will,  and  that  he  has 
a  just  claim  to  our  obedience. 


LESSON   II. 

THE   DIVINE   WILL. 

§  1.  —  A  Divine  Command  in  any  Particular  Point 
creates  a  Duty. 

SOME  persons  are  apt  to  fall  into  indistinctness  of  lan 
guage,  and  confusion  of  thought,  on  this  subject,  from 
not  taking  care  to  distinguish  between  our  moral  judg 
ment  on  some  particular .  cases,  and .  our  notion  of  Duty 
generally.  .  On  any.  particular  point,  a  pious  man  will 
be  ready,  if  he  is  convinced  that  a  divine  command  has 
been  given,  to  obey  it  at  once  without  further  inquiry  ; 
taking  for  granted  that  it  is  right,  though  he  may  not 
see  the  reason  of  it.  But  this  is  not  from  his  having  no 
notion  at  all,  generally,  of  anything  being  in  itself  right 
or  wrong,  and  knowing  no  meaning  of  the  word  "  good," 
except  "  what  is  commanded  by  a  superior  power."  On 
the  contrary,  he  acts  as  he  does  from  his  general  trust 
in  God's  goodness,  and  just  claim  to  obedience.  For,  in 
this  or  that  particular  point,  a  divine  command  may 
make  that  a  duty  which  was  not  so  before.  But  this 
can  only  be  when  the  command  is  given  to  a  being  en 
dowed  with  a  moral  sense,  which  enables  him  to  per 
ceive  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  Duty,  and  that  God 
has  a  rightful  claim  to  be  obeyed,  even  when  the  reason 
of  his  commands  is  not  perceived. 

In  like  manner,  a  telescope  will  enable  a  man  pos- 


THE    DIVINE    WILL.  11 

sessing  the  sense  of  sight  to  see  objects  invisible  to  the 
naked  eye.  But  the  revelation  of  a  divine  command 
could  no  more  originate  the  notion  of  duty,  generally,  in 
a  being  destitute  of  Moral  Faculty,  and  to  whom,  there 
fore,  the  word  "  duty "  would  have  no  meaning  at  all 
(though  he  might  be  afraid  to  disobey),  than  a  telescope 
could  confer  sight  on  a  blind  man. 

§  2.  —  Moral  Precepts  and  Positive  Precepts. 

In  order  to  have  a  clear  view  of  this  subject,  you 
must  be  careful  to  observe  the  distinction  (which  some 
persons  are  apt  to  overlook)  between  what  are  called 
moral  precepts  [or  "  natural "  precepts]  and  positive 
precepts.  We  are  bound  to  comply  with  both ;  but 
"  moral  precepts  "  are  what  relate  to  things  right  and 
wrong  in  themselves,  independently  of  any  command ; 
and  "  positive  precepts  "  are  what  relate  to  things  origi 
nally  indifferent,  but  which  are  made  right  or  wrong  by 
the  command .  of  a  Superior  whe  has  a  just  claim  to 
obedience. 

Thus,  when  Children  are  forbidden  to  tell  lies,  or 
to  quarrel,  these  are  things  forbidden  because  they  are 
wrong  in  themselves.  And  when  they  are  told  to  im 
prove  their  minds  by  learning  what  is  useful,  and  to  be 
kind  and  helpful  to  each  other,  and  the  like,  these  things 
are  commanded  because  they  are  right  in  themselves. 
But  when  they  are  forbidden  to  go  beyond  the  bounds 
of  the  play-ground,  and  are  charged  to  come  in  at  a 
certain  hour,  these  are  what  are  called  "positive"  pre 
cepts.  To  go  beyond  a  certain  spot  was  originally  noth 
ing  wrong  in  itself;  but  became  wrong,  after  the  rule 
had  been  laid  down,  because  it  would  be  an  act  of  dis- 


12  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

obedience.  And  to  come  in  from  play  at  twelve  o'clock, 
or  at  one,  is  in  itself  a  matter  of  indifference,  but  it  is 
made  a  matter  of  duty  as  soon  as  the  master  or  parent 
has  appointed  the  time. 

So  also  it  is  a  moral  duty  (as  has  been  above  said)  to 
obey  the  laws  of  the  land  when  not  wrong  in  them 
selves  ;  and  some  of  these  relate  to  things  originally  and 
naturally  right  and  wrong ;  others,  to  things  originally 
indifferent.  For  instance,  to  import  tea,  or  wine,  or  to 
manufacture  candles  or  malt,  is  a  thing  originally  in 
different.  But  when  a  tax  has  been  laid  on  these 
things,  then  to  evade  this  tax  is  to  rob  the  revenue,  — 
that  is,  to  rob  the  nation.  And,  accordingly,  to  sell,  or 
to  buy,  smuggled  goods  is  a  thing  morally  wrong. 

The  like  holds  good  with  private  contracts.  In  these, 
a  person  may  be  bound,  as  to  matters  originally  indiffer 
ent,  not  by  the  command  of  a  superior,  but  by  his  own 
act.  For  it  is  clearly  a  moral  duly  to  fulfil  one's  en 
gagements.  Thus,  a  husband  and  wife  are  bound,  by 
the  marriage  contract  they  have  made,  to  their  mutual 
duties,  though  they  were  not  bound  to  each  other  be 
fore.  Children,  on  the  other  hand,  are  bound  by  an 
original  and  natural  obligation  to  honor  their  par 
ents. 

Again,  when  the  Israelites  were  commanded,  in  the 
Mosaic  law,  to  be  kind  to  their  neighbors,  and  liberal  to 
the  poor,  this  was  commanded  because  it  was  in  itself 
right.  But  when  they  were  commanded  to  keep  the 
feast  of  the  Passover,  and  to  perform  certain  appointed 
ceremonies,  and  to  set  aside  certain  specified  days  and 
years  as  sanctified,  this  was  right  because  it  was  com 
manded. 


THE    DIVINE    WILL.  13 

So,  also,  the  prohibition  of  murder  and  theft  were 
what  are  called  "  moral "  [or  natural]  precepts,  as  re 
lating  to  things  wrong  in  themselves;  but  to  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  animals  specified  as  "  unclean,"  which  is  a 
matter  originally  indifferent,  was  wrong  for  Israelites, 
because  it  was  forbidden  in  their  law. 

In  such  cases,  the  command  of  a  rightful  Superior 
makes  things  morally  right  and  wrong  which  were  not 
so  before  the  express  command  was  given.  And  when 
such  a  command  does  exist,  we  are  bound  in  duty  to 
obey  it. 

§  3.  —  Moral  Precepts  to  be  observed  in  the  Spirit,  and 
Positive  in  the  Letter. 

The  distinction  between  positive  duties  and  [natural] 
moral  duties,  it  is  most  important  to  perceive  clearly, 
and  always  to  keep  in  mind.  For  with  respect  to  the 
latter  class,  —  that  of  natural  duties,  —  we  are  left  to  be 
guided  by  our  own  conscience,  according  to  the  best 
judgment  we  can  form ;  and  we  must  not  expect  to  have 
precise  rules  laid  down  as  to  every  case  that  can  arise  ; 
nor  satisfy  ourselves  that  we  are  blameless  as  long  as 
we  do  nothing  that  is  expressly  forbidden,  and  omit  noth 
ing  that  is,  in  so  many  words,  commanded. 

But  with  respect  to  the  other  class,  —  that  of  positive 
duties,  —  it  is  sufficient  if  we  do  but  conform  precisely 
to  the  commands  distinctly  laid  down  for  us.  We  are 
safe  as  long  as  we  transgress  no  express  injunctions 
given  to  us. 

And  precepts  of  this  class  we  are  bound  to  comply 
with  according  to  the  letter,  without  presuming  to  depart 
from  this,  and  to  plead  that  we  are  observing  the  spirit 
2 


14  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

of  the  command.  With  moral  precepts  it  is  the  reverse. 
For  instance,  the  injunction  of  our  Lord  "  to  wash  one 
another's  feet,"  is  usually  regarded  (and  very  rightly) 
as  no  positive  precept,  but  only  an  injunction  to  be  kind 
and  helpful  to  each  other.  Any  one,  therefore,  would 
be  complying  with  his  command  in  spirit,  and  as  was 
designed,  by  showing  such  kindness  generally,  even 
though  he  should  never  literally  wash  another's  feet. 
And,  on  the  contrary,  one  who  should  literally  wash  an 
other's  feet,  but  should  generally  refuse  all  kind  assist 
ance  and  relief,  would  be  in  reality  disobeying  the  com 
mand,  by  disregarding  the  spirit  of  it. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  when  our  Lord  said,  "  Do  this 
in  remembrance  of  me,"  and  commanded  his  disciples  to 
baptize,  He  was  giving  positive  precepts ;  as  we  learn 
from  the  practice  of  the  Apostles,  who  evidently  under 
stood  Him  (as  He  must  have  known  that  they  would, 
and  designed  that  they  should)  to  enjoin  the  use  of  lit 
eral  water,  and  bread  and  wine.  No  one  should  pre 
sume,  therefore,  to  omit  the  literal  and  exact  compliance 
with  these  commands,  and  to  set  up  the  plea  of  observ 
ing  them  in  the  spirit. 

So,  also,  when  the  Israelites  were  enjoined  to  sanc 
tify  certain  distinctly  specified  days  as  religious  festivals, 
it  was  not  allowable  for  them  to  make  any  alterations, 
and  to  plead  that  they  were  observing  the  spirit  of  the 
ordinances,  by  keeping  the  Passover,  for  instance,  at 
some  different  time  of  the  year ;  or  by  sacrificing  some 
other  animal  than  the  one  enjoined ;  or  by  sanctifying  as 
a  sabbath  every  sixth  day,  or  every  eight ;  or  by  fixing 
on  the  first,  or  second,  or  third  day  of  the  week  instead 
of  the  seventh,  on  the  ground  that  one  day  is  in  itself  as 


THE    DIVINE    WILL.  15 

good  as  another.  In  all  positive  precepts,  in  short,  an 
exact  compliance  with  the  very  letter  of  the  command 
is  required ;  and  is  made,  by  the  command,  a  moral  duty 
to  those  to  whom  the  command  is  given. 

§  4.  —  Compliance  with  Positive  Precepts  a  Moral  Duty. 

The  obedience,  in  these  matters,  of  a  pious  man  to 
the  divine  commands,  even  when  he  does  not  under 
stand  the  reasons  of  them,  and  his  general  trust  in  the 
divine  wisdom  and  goodness,  —  all  this  is  of  a  piece  with 
what  we  feel  and  do  towards  our  fellow-men.  A  duti 
ful  and  affectionate  child,  for  instance,  will  fully  trust 
(with  good  reason)  in  the  goodness  and  the  superior 
judgment  of  a  kind  parent,  and  will  comply  cheerfully 
with  his  directions,  even  when  not  knowing  why  they 
were  given  ;  all  the  more  cheerfully  from  being  con 
vinced  that  his  parent's  directions  are  right;  and  not 
as  merely  yielding  to  superior  power,  and  calculating 
on  reward  or  punishment. 

So,  also,  some  friend,  on  whose  worth  and  good  sense 
you  fully  rely,  will  perhaps  take  some  measures  which 
you  presume,  from  your  knowledge  of  his  character,  to 
be  right  ones,  before  you  have  sufficient  knowledge  of 
particulars  to  judge  of  the  case  itself. 

And  we  judge  in  the  same  way  in  other  matters  also, 
that  have  no  relation  to  moral  conduct.  For  instance, 
if  you  had  read  several  works  of  some  author,  which 
.you  greatly  admire,  you  would  be  likely,  when  you 
heard  of  some  new  work  of  his  about  to  be  published, 
to  expect,  before  reading  it,  that  that  also  would  show 
great  ability.  It  is  not  that  you  have  no  notion  of  good 
or  bad  writing  except  what  is  or  is  not  his ;  but  you 


16  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

would  form  your  expectations  of  what  you  have  not 
seen  from  that  which  you  have  seen. 

§  5.  —  Sin  implies  a  Moral  Faculty. 

In  addition  to  what  has  been  said,  it  is  important  to 
remark,  that  sin,  which  the  sacred  writers  so  often  im 
pute  to  men,  does  itself  imply  the  existence  of  a  moral 
sense.  For  a  being  destitute  of  all  power  of  distinguish 
ing  between  moral  good  and  evil,  as  is  the  case  with 
brutes,  however  odious  his  actions  might  be,  could  not 
commit  sin.  And  accordingly,  though  a  wolf,  or  a 
swine,  or  any  other  brute,  may  do  acts  which  would  be 
sinful  in  a  man,  no  one  speaks  of  a  brute  as  sinful,  or 
imputes  to  it  moral  guilt.  And,  for  the  same  reason,  no 
sin  is  ever  imputed  to  the  acts  of  a  new-born  infant,  or 
a  complete  idiot.  And,  accordingly,  in  some  parts  of 
this  country,  the  term  used  by  the  common  people  for 
an  idiot  is  "  an  innocent."  For,  though  idiots  may  be 
very  mischievous,  it  is  understood  that  they  can  incur  no 
guilt,  whatever  they  do,  from  not  having  the  sense  to 
perceive  right  and  wrong.  They,  and  infants,  every 
one  would  say,  are  not  moral  agents,  any  more  than  the 
brutes ;  and,  consequently,  the  word  sin  would  not  ap 
ply  to  any  of  their  acts.  Yet  the  higher  kinds  of  brutes, 
such  as  horses  and  dogs,  can  be  taught  to  obey  their 
masters,  and  to  do  or  to  abstain  from  certain  acts,  from 
fear  of  punishment  or  hope  of  reward.  But  we  con 
sider  sin  to  consist  in  doing  what  one  knows,  or  might 
have  known,  to  be  morally  wrong  ;  —  in  short,  in  trans 
gressing  the  rules  of  duty  which  one  is  capable  of  un 
derstanding.  So,  also,  folly  we  consider  as  consisting 
in  acting  against  the  dictates  of  one's  reason,  and  conse- 


THE    DIVINE    WILL.  17 

quently  as  implying  a  rational  nature.  And,  accord 
ingly,  no  one  imputes  folly  to  a  brute,  any  more  than 
sin. 

Of  course,  when  any  express  command  does  come 
from  God,  or  indeed  from  a  parent,  or  any  other  right 
ful  superior,  this  increases  the  sin  of  those  who  disobey 
it.  And  this  is  what  the  Apostle  Paul  evidently  means 
when  he  speaks  of  "  the  commandment "  making  siii 
"exceeding  sinful." 

But  in  no  case  can  there  be  any  sin  at  all  except  in 
a  violation  of  duty  by  a  Being  capable  of  understanding 
what  duty  is. 


LESSON    III. 

ENCOURAGEMENTS   TO   DUTY   IN   SCRIPTURE. 

§  1.  —  What  Scripture  reveals  in  ^Reference  to  Duty. 

You  have  seen,  then,  that  Man  has  been  endowed  by 
his  Maker  with  a  power  of  distinguishing,  in  some  de 
gree,  good  and  bad  actions ;  which  is  called  by  some  the 
"  moral  sense  "  [or  moral  faculty],  and  by  some  "  con 
science."  And  you  have  seen  that  the  sacred  writers 
always  address  us  as  Beings  having  some  notion  of  what 
Duty  is ;  and  that  the  moral  precepts  they  deliver  al 
ways  proceed  on  that  supposition.  And,  moreover,  it 
has  been  pointed  out,  that  if  Man  had  been  a  Being 
quite  destitute  (like  the  brutes)  of  all  idea  of  moral  right 
and  wrong,  then  no  revelation  of  the  divine  will,  nor 
any  expectation  of  future  rewards  and  punishments, 
could  have  imparted  to  such  a  Being  the  notion  of  Duty. 
Man  might,  in  that  case,  have  obeyed  the  divine  com 
mands  as  a  matter  of  prudence ;  just  as  a  slave  (and 
indeed  even  a  brute)  may  be  brought  to  do  what  his 
master  bids  him.  But  the  notion  of  being  justly  bound 
to  obey,  as  a  matter  of  Duty,  is  what  could  never  have 
entered  his  mind. 

What,  then,  you  may  next  ask,  is  the  connection  be 
tween  a  divine  revelation  and  moral  conduct  ?  If,  as 
we  have  seen,  a  knowledge  of  God's  will  could  not  of 


ENCOURAGEMENTS    TO    DUTY   IN   SCRIPTURE.        19. 

itself  convey  any  notion  of  Duty  to  a  Being  naturally 
destitute  of  a  moral  sense,  and  if  the  sacred  writers  do 
not  undertake  (as  it  is  plain  they  do  not)  to  give  precise 
directions  as  to  every  point  of  conduct,  what  is  it  that 
revelation  does  teach  us  in  reference  to  morality  ? 

§  2.  —  God's  Approval  of  Virtue. 

In  the  first  place,  we  learn  from  our  Scriptures  that 
our  Maker  approves  of  virtue,  and  disapproves  of  vice. 
Now  this  was  either  unknown,  or  very  imperfectly 
known,  to  the  ancient  heathen.  Their  most  eminent 
philosophers  regarded  those  supposed  Beings  who  were 
called  gods  (to  none  of  whom,  by  the  way,  they  attributed 
the  creation)*  as  wholly  regardless  of  human  concerns. 
And  as  for  the  tales  circulated  among  the  vulgar  about 
a  state  of  happiness  or  suffering  after  death,  they  de 
rided  them  as  "old  wives'  fables."  They  understood 
what  is  meant  by  "  virtue,"  and  wrote  many  admirable 
things  on  the  subject ;  but  always  without  any  reference, 
or  with  very  slight  reference,  to  the  will  of  their  gods. 
And  as  for  the  vulgar  among  the  ancient  heathen,  though 
they  were  not  altogether  without  a  notion  that  their 
gods  favored  the  virtuous,  and  sometimes  sent  heavy 
judgments  on  very  great  crimes,  they  trusted  chiefly  to 
costly  sacrifices,  and  splendid  temples,  and  images,  and 
to  superstitious  ceremonies,  for  making  their  gods  pro 
pitious,  and  atoning  for  all  violations  of  moral  duty. 

And,  indeed,  great  part  of  the  worship  of  several  of 
these  gods  consisted  in  gross  immorality.  Thus,  we 
read  in  the  book  of  Deuteronomy  concerning  the  relig- 

*  See  "  Lessons  on  Religious  Worship,"  Lesson  II. 


20  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

ion  of  the  Canaanites :  "  Every  abomination  unto  the 
Lord  which  He  hateth,  have  these  nations  done  unto 
their  gods ;  for  even  their  sons  and  daughters  have  they 
burned  in  the  fire  unto  their  gods/' 

Our  religion,  on  the  contrary,  teaches,  that  "  in  every 
nation  he  that  feareth  God,  and  worketh  righteousness, 
is  accepted  of  Him " ;  that  our  great  Master  came 
into  the  world,  and  lived  and  died  for  us,  "that  he 
might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  to  Him 
self  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  When 
ever,  in  our  Scriptures,  the  unspeakable  love  and  good 
ness  of  God  towards  us  is  set  forth,  in  sending  his  bless 
ed  Son  for  our  salvation,  we  are  always  called  on  to  show 
our  gratitude  and  love  towards  Him  in  return,  by  a  zeal 
ous  and  watchful  endeavor  after  personal  holiness.  "  If 
ye  love  me,"  says  the  Saviour,  "keep  my  command 
ments."  And  he  warns  us  that  to  those  who  lead  a  sin 
ful  life,  even  though  they  shall  have  preached  in  his 
name,  and  "  in  his  name  done  many  mighty  works,"  He 
will  say  at  the  last  day,  "  I  know  you  not ;  depart  from 
me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniquity." 

§  3.  —  Divine  Approbation  of  Virtue  an  Encouragement. 

Now  it  is  indeed  true,  as  was  remarked  above,  that  if 
Man  had  been  a  Being  destitute  of  moral  sense  [con 
science],  no  knowledge  of  the  divine  will  could  have 
given  him  the  notion  of  Duty ;  and  anything  we  might 
do,  in  compliance  with  God's  will,  on  grounds  of  mere 
self-interest,  would  not  be  at  all  of  the  character  of  Vir 
tue,  but  would  be  only  Prudence.  But  Man  being  such 
as  he  actually  is,  —  capable  of  understanding  the  differ 
ence  between  moral  good  and  evil,  but  of  a  frail  and 


ENCOURAGEMENTS    TO   DUTY   IN    SCRIPTURE.       21 

imperfect  character,  and  exposed  to  many  temptations 
to  sin,  —  such  a  Being  is  of  course  greatly  encouraged 
in  virtue,  and  deterred  from  sin,  by  knowing  that  our 
Maker  requires  what  is  good,  and  forbids  what  is  evil,  and 
that  "  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in  which  He  will  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness,"  and  will  "  render  to  every 
man  according  to  his  deeds ;  to  them  who,  by  patient  con 
tinuance  in  well-doing,  seek  for  glory  and  honor  and  im 
mortality,  eternal  life ;  but  unto  them  that  obey  unright 
eousness,  tribulation  and  anguish  upon  every  soul  of 
man  that  doeth  evil." 

Such  an  encouragement  in  the  practice  of  duty  as  our 
great  Master  has  thus  mercifully  provided,  is  what  Man 
greatly  needs.  For,  besides  the  temptations  of  sin  which 
he  is  exposed  to,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that,  when  he 
does  resist  them,  and  fulfils  his  duty,  this  does  not  of  it 
self  produce  any  positive  pleasure  ;  because  it  is  the  very 
nature  of  Conscience  to  show  us  that  good  conduct  is  what 
we  are  bound  to,  and  as  only  the  payment  of  a  just  debt. 
If  we  fail  in  this,  and  act  against  conscience,  its  re 
proaches  are  painful :  if  we  comply  with  its  dictates,  it 
then  does  not  pain  us,  but  neither  does  it  afford  positive 
gratification ;  only  quiet,  and  peace,  and  freedom  from 
remorse.  For  if  a  man  should  pride  himself  on  any 
thing  he  had  done,  as  if  it  were  something  meritorious 
in  God's  sight,  as  being  beyond  his  bounden  duty,  this 
thought  would  be  itself  a  sin. 

Though,  however,  the  mere  performance  of  duty  does 
not  of  itself  give  positive  pleasure,  to  obtain  approbation 
even  from  our  fellow-creatures  is  gratifying ;  sometimes, 
indeed,  even  dangerously  so.  And  our  natural  desire 
of  approbation  God  has  graciously  thought  fit  to  direct 


22  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

towards  Himself;  assuring  us  that  He  sees,  and  sees 
with  favor,  every  struggle  against  sin,  every  effort  to 
obey  his  commands  and  to  improve  in  virtue.  And 
moreover,  He  has  promised,  not  only  to  be  a  "  rewarder 
of  them  that  diligently  seek  Him,"  but  to  make  their  re 
ward  consist  in  a  fuller  knowledge  of  Him,  and  a  more 
perfect  enjoyment  of  his  presence  and  of  his  appro 
bation.  "  We  know,"  says  the  Apostle  John, "  that  when 
Christ  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  Him ;  for  we  shall 
see  him  as  He  is."  We  have  thus,  therefore,  —  what 
Man  so  much  needs,  —  a  strong  encouragement  to  strive 
after  the  improvement  of  our  moral  character.  For 
"  every  one,"  the  Apostle  goes  on  to  say,  "  that  hath  this 
hope  on  Him,  purifieth  himself,  even  as  He  is  pure." 

§  4.  —  Divine  Aid  in  the  Performance  of  Duty. 

Secondly,  Man  being  by  nature  weak,  and  being  be 
set  by  temptations,  our  religion  holds  out  the  promise 
of  inward  divine  aid  in  the  practice  of  Duty,  from 
the  Holy  Spirit,  which  "  helpeth  jour  infirmities."  "  I 
am  the  vine,"  says  our  Lord,  "  ye  are  the  branches  ;  as 
a  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide  in 
the  vine,  no  more  can  ye  except  ye  abide  in  Me :  with 
out  Me  ye  can  do  nothing."  And, "  It  is  God  that  work- 
eth  in  us,"  says  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  both  to  will  and  to 
do  of  his  good  pleasure." 

As  for  Man's  need  of  such  aid,  —  that  is,  his  frailty  and 
proneness  to  fall  into  sin,  —  that  is  but  too  well  known 
from  universal  experience.  But  some  persons  seem  in 
clined  to  attribute  this  entirely  to  bad  governments  and 
laws,  faulty  education,  and  bad  examples.  And  they 
seem  to  think  that  improvements  in  governments  and 


ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO    DUTY*  IN    SCRIPTURE.       23 

systems  of  education  might  put  an  end  to  all  moral  evils. 
No  doubt  erroneous  education,  unwise  laws,  &c.,  do  ex 
ist,  and  do  greatly  contribute  to  increase  the  faultiness 
of  the  human  character ;  but  they  never  could  have  been 
the  original  cause  of  it ;  since  it  is  from  men  they  have 
all  proceeded.  Our  Scripture  history,  however,  tells  us 
that  our  first  parents,  without  any  bad  education,  corrupt 
ing  examples,  bad  governments,  &c.,  did  transgress  the 
only  command  given  them.  And  as  no  one  of  us  can  be, 
by  birth,  of  a  firmer  and  purer  moral  character  than 
they  were  originally,  we  may  be  sure  that  we,  left  to  our 
own  unaided  strength,  should  have  acted,  if  placed  in 
their  situation,  no  better  than  they  did. 

§  5.  —  Scripture  Examples. 

Thirdly,  we  find  set  before  us  in  our  Scriptures  the  life 
of  our  Saviour,  who  "  left  us  an  example  that  we  should 
follow  his  steps,"  and  "  purify  ourselves  as  He  is  pure." 

And  we  have  also  the  examples  of  his  Apostles,  which 
are  instructive  to  us,  both  in  their  failings  which  are  re 
corded,  and  in  their  recovery  through  their  divine  Mas 
ter's  instruction  and  support,  and  in  the  life  of  devoted 
Christian  virtue  to  which  they  were  at  length  brought. 
For  they  were  evidently  not  men  of  superior  natural  in 
telligence  ;  nor  were  they  originally  exempt  from  world 
ly  ambition,  and  timidity,  and  other  failings.  And  we  can 
trace  in  the  Scripture  history  the  gradual  improvement 
and  elevation  of  their  characters,  under  the  training  to 
which  they  were  subjected. 

Fourthly  and  lastly,  although,  as  has  been  said,  there 
is  no  such  thing  attempted  by  the  sacred  writers  as  a 
complete  enumeration  of  all  points  of  duty,  in  all  possi- 


24  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

ble  circumstances,  still  they  afford  us  much  important 
moral  instruction  in  those  points  wherein  it  is  most  need 
ed.  They  dwell  on  such  duties  as  their  hearers  were  the 
most  disposed  to  neglect ;  such  as  kindness  to  enemies, 
patience  under  provocation,  forgiveness  of  injuries,  and 
the  like.  They  correct,  from  time  to  time,  various 
errors  in  moral  conduct  to  which  men  are  liable.  And 
they  instruct  us,  in  various  ways,  how  to  rectify  and  im 
prove  our  moral  judgment,  and  bring  it  into  practice  in 
our  lives. 

For  Man's  moral  faculty  is  (as  was  observed  at  the 
beginning)  capable,  like  our  other  faculties,  of  cultivation 
and  improvement,  and  liable  also  to  be  depraved  and 
perverted  in  various  ways.  And  a  moral  instructor  is 
one  who  undertakes,  not  indeed  to  create  a  moral  faculty 
in  a  Being  quite  destitute  of  it  (any  more  than  an  ocu 
list  undertakes  to  create  eyes),  but  to  cultivate  and  im 
prove  the  moral  faculty,  and  remove  its  imperfections, 
and  preserve  it  from  corruption ;  even  as  an  oculist 
seeks  to  preserve  the  eyes,  and  cure  the  diseases  of 
them. 


LESSON  IV. 

OFFICE    OF    SCRIPTURE   IN   REFERENCE    TO    MORAL 
CONDUCT. 

§  1.—  The  Golden  Rule. 

THAT  invaluable  rule  of  our  Lord's,  "  To  do  to  others 
as  we  would  have  them  do  to  us,"  will  serve  to  explain, 
when  rightly  understood,  the  true  character  of  moral  in 
struction.  If  you  were  to  understand  that  precept  as 
designed  to  convey  to  us  the  first  notions  of  right  and 
wrong,  and  to  be  your  sole  guide  as  to  what  you  ought 
to  do  and  to  avoid  in  your  dealings  with  your  neighbor, 
you  would  be  greatly  perplexed.  For  you  would  find 
that  a  literal  compliance  with  the  precept  would  be  some 
times  absurd,  sometimes  wrong.,  and  sometimes  impossi 
ble.  And  probably  it  is  through  making  this  mistake 
that  men  in  general  apply  the  rule  so  much  seldomer 
than  they  ought.  For  the  real  occasions  for  its  use 
occur  to  all  of  us  every  day. 

Supposing  any  one  should  regard  this  golden  rule  as 
designed  to  answer  the  purpose  of  a  complete  system  of 
morality,  and  to  teach  us  the  difference  of  right  and 
wrong ;  then,  if  he  had  let  his  tend  to  a  farmer,  he  m  iht 
consider  that  the  farmer  would  be  glad  to  be  excused 
paying  any  rent  for  it,  since  he  would  himself,  if  he  were 
the  farmer,  prefer  having  the  land  rent-free  ;  and  that, 
3 


26  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

therefore,  the  rule  of  doing  as  he  would  be  done  by  re 
quires  him  to  give  up  all  his  property.  So  also  a  shop 
keeper  might,  on  the  same  principle,  think  that  the 
rule  required  him  to  part  with  his  goods  under  prime 
cost,  or  to  give  them  away,  and  thus  to  ruin  himself. 
Now  such  a  procedure  would  be  absurd, 

Again,  supposing  a  jailer  who  was  intrusted  with  the 
safe  custody  of  a  prisoner  should  think  himself  bound  to 
let  the  man  escape,  because  he  himself,  if  he  were  a 
prisoner,  would  be  glad  to  obtain  freedom,  he  would  be 
guilty  of  a  breach  of  trust.  Such  an  application  of  the 
rule,  therefore,  would  be  morally  wrong. 

And  again,  if  you  had  to  decide  between  two  parties 
who  were  pleading  their  cause  before  you,  you  might 
consider  that  each  of  them  wished  for  a  decision  in  his 
own  favor.  And  how,  then,  you  might  ask,  would  it  be 
possible  to  apply  the  rule  ?  since  in  deciding  for  the  one 
party  you  could  not  but  decide  against  the  other.  A 
literal  compliance  with  the  rule,  therefore,  would  be,  in 
such  a  case,  impossible. 

§  2.  —  Application  of  the  Golden  Ride. 

Now,  if  you  were  to  put  such  cases  as  these  before 
any  sensible  man,  he  would  at  once  say  that  you  are  to 
consider,  not  what  you  might  wish  in  each  case,  but 
what  you  would  regard  as/azr,  right,  just,  reasonable,  if 
you  were  in  another  person's  place.  If  you  were  a  farm 
er,  although  you  might  feel  that  you  would  be  very 
glad  to  have  the  land  rent-free,  —  that  is,  to  become  the 
owner  of  it,  —  you  would  not  consider  that  you  had  any 
just  claim  to  it,  and  that  you  could  fairly  expect  the 
landlord  to  make  you  a  present  of  his  property.  But 


OFFICE    OF    SCRIPTURE.  27 

you  would  think  it  reasonable  that,  if  you  suffered  some 
great  and  unexpected  loss,  from  an  inundation  or  any 
such  calamity,  he  should  make  an  abatement  of  the  rent. 
And  this  is  what  a  good  landlord  generally  thinks  it 
right  to  do,  in  compliance  with  the  golden  rule. 

So  also,  if  you  had  a  cause  to  be  tried,  though  of 
course  you  would  wish  the  decision  to  be  in  your  favor, 
you  would  be  sensible  that  all  you  could  reasonably  ex 
pect  of  the  judge  would  be  that  he  should  lay  aside  all 
prejudice,  and  attend  impartially  and  carefully  to  the 
evidence,  and  decide  according  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 
And  this  —  which  is  what  each  part  may  fairly  claim 
—  is  what  an  upright  judge  will  do.  And  the  like  holds 
good  in  all  the  other  cases. 

§  3.  —  Design  of  the  Golden  Rule. 

You  have  seen,  then,  that  the  golden  rule  was  far 
from  being  designed  to  impart  to  men  the  first  notions 
of  justice.  On  the  contrary,  it  presupposes  that  knowl 
edge  ;  and  if  we  had  no  such  notions,  we  could  not  prop 
erly  apply  the  rule.  But  the  real  design  of  it  is  to  put 
us  on  our  guard  against  the  danger  of  being  blinded  by 
self-interest.  A  person  who  has  a  good  general  notion 
of  what  is  just  may  often  be  tempted  to  act  unfairly  or 
unkindly  towards  his  neighbors,  when  his  own  interest 
or  gratification  is  concerned,  and  to  overlook  the  right 
ful  claims  of  others.  When  David  was  guilty  of  an 
enormous  sin  in  taking  his  neighbor's  wife,  and  procur 
ing  the  death  of  the  husband,  he  was  thinking  only  of 
his  own  gratification,  quite  forgetful  of  duty,  till  his 
slumbering  conscience  was  roused  by  the  prophet  Na 
than.  On  hearing  the  tale  of  "  the  poor  man's  lamb," 


28  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

his  general  abhorrence  of  injustice  and  cruelty  caused 
him  to  feel  vehement  indignation  against  the  supposed 
offender ;  but  he  did  not  apply  his  principles  to  his  own 
case,  till  the  prophet  startled  him  by  saying,  "  Thou  art 
the  man ! " 

And  we,  if  we  will  make  a  practice  of  applying  the 
golden  rule,  may  have  a  kind  of  prophet  always  at  hand, 
to  remind  us  how,  and  when,  to  act  on  our  principles  of 
right.  We  have  only  to  consider,  "  What  should  I 
think  were  I  in  the  other's  place,  and  he  were  to  do  so 
and  so  to  me  ?  How  should  I  require  him  to  treat  me  ? 
What  could  I  in  fairness  claim  from  him  ? 

§  4.  —  Offices  of  Scripture  and  of  Conscience. 

Besides  this  most  important  rule  for  the  application 
of  our  principles,  we  find  in  Scripture  (as  has  been  al 
ready  observed)  many  precepts  designed  for  the  correc 
tion  and  improvement  of  our  principles ;  many  cautions 
against  the  errors  men  are  likely  to  fall  into,  in  their 
moral  judgment  on  various  points.  For  Conscience  is 
far  from  being  an  infallible  guide,  any  more  than  Rea 
son,  generally. 

One  may  illustrate  the  distinct  uses  of  Scripture  (in 
all  that  relates  to  morals)  and  of  natural  Conscience,  by 
the  comparison  of  a  sun-dial  and  a  clock.  The  clock  has 
the  advantage  of  being  always  at  hand,  to  be  consulted 
at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night ;  while  the  dial  is  of  use 
only  when  the  sun  shines  on  it.  But,  then,  the  clock  is 
liable  to  go  wrong,  and  vary  from  the  true  time ;  and  it 
has  no  power  in  itself  of  correcting  its  own  errors ;  so 
that  these  may  go  on  increasing,  to  any  extent,  unless  it 
be  from  time  to  time  regulated  by  the  dial,  which  is 
alone  the  unerring  guide. 


OFFICE    OF    SCRIPTURE.  29 

Even  so  it  is  with  natural  conscience  as  compared 
with  Scripture,  which  directs  us  according  to  the  "  wisdom 
which  is  from  above."  In  each  particular  case  that  may 
occur,  our  own  heart  will  furnish  a  decision  as  to  what 
is  right  or  wrong ;  and  that  in  many  cases  which  are 
not  particularly  specified  in  Scripture,  though  they  fall 
under  the  general  principles  of  the  Gospel.  But  then 
our  own  hearts  are  liable  to  deceive  us,  even  to  the 
greatest  extent,  and  to  give  wrong  judgments,  if  they 
are  not  continually  corrected  and  regulated  by  a  refer 
ence  to  the  word  of  God,  which  alone  —  like  his  sun  in 
the  natural  world  —  affords  an  infallible  guide. 

§  5.  —  Regulation  of  Conscience. 

While,  therefore,  you  take  care,  on  the  one  hand,  not 
to  do  anything  that  your  conscience  tells  you  is  wrong, 
you  must  beware,  on  the  other  hand,  of  concluding  that 
your  conduct  is  necessarily  right  because  your  conscience 
approves  it ;  or  that  you  yourself  at  least  are  free  from 
sin  as  long  as  your  own  judgment  does  not  condemn 
you.  For  men  may  so  far  deprave  their  conscience  as 
to  bring  themselves  to  mistake  wrong  for  right ;  like 
one  who  should  bend  the  ruler  which  he  is  drawing 
lines  by.  Thus,  our  Lord  declared  to  his  disciples  that 
those  who  killed  them  would  think  (not  merely  pretend, 
but  think)  that  "  they  were  doing  God  service."  And 
Paul  bitterly  bewails  his  own  sin  in  "  persecuting  the 
Church,"  when  he  "  verily  thought  that  he  ought  to  do 
many  things  contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Naza 
reth."  And  afterwards,  when  he  became  an  Apostle,  he 
says,  "  I  judge  not  mine  own  self;  for  I  know  nothing 
3* 


30  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

by  myself  [against  myself]  ;  yet  am  I  not  hereby  justi 
fied  ;  but  He  that  judgeth  me  is  the  Lord." 

We  must  be  careful,  therefore,  to  regulate  both  our 
business  by  the  clock,  and  the  clock  by  the  dial ;  that  is, 
to  regulate  our  conduct  by  our  Conscience,  and  our  Con 
science  itself  by  the  commands  and  instructions  which 
God  has  given  us. 


LESSON    V. 

MODE    OF   MORAL    TEACHING    OF   SCRIPTURE. 

§  1.  —  Difference  of  the  Gospel-teaching  from  that  of 
the  Law. 

THERE  is  no  need  to  transcribe  our  Lord's  "  Sermon 
on  the  Mount,"  or  his  various  instructive  parables,  and 
the  several  moral  precepts  delivered  from  time  to  time 
by  Him  and  his  Apostles.  For  we  are  not  writing  for 
persons  unacquainted  with  the  Bible,  or  neglectful  of  its 
teaching.  But  it  is  important  to  point  out  some  things 
that  are  peculiar  in  the  general  plan  of  moral  instruc 
tion  in  the  New  Testament. 

1.  In  the  first  place,  you  may  observe  how  greatly  it 
differs  from  the  Law  of  Moses,  in  not  having,  like  that, 
a  number  of  precise  rules  laid  down  as  to  several  par 
ticular  cases.  That  Law  did  indeed  lay  down  the  gen 
eral  principles  of  conduct,  in  those  two  great  command 
ments  on  which,  says  our  Lord,  "  hang  all  the  law  and 
the  prophets  " :  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God, 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  But 
besides  these  general  commandments,  there  is  a  great 
number  of  precepts  as  to  particular  points  of  conduct. 
For  the  Israelites  were  in  a  sort  of  half-civilized  con 
dition,  and  needed  to  be  treated  in  many  respects  like 
children.  Now  children  must  be  subjected,  we  know,  to 


32  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

many  precise  regulations  and  restrictions,  on  account  of 
their  not  being  fully  capable  of  self-government.  And 
these  are  gradually  relaxed  as  they  grow  up,  and  they 
are  left  more  and  more  to  guide  their  conduct  by  their 
own  judgment.  This  is  not  from  our  thinking  that  good 
conduct  is  less  required  of  a  man  than  of  a  child  ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  because  he  is  supposed  to  have  reached 
what  is  called  "  years  of  discretion,"  and  may  be  consid 
ered  capable  of  judging  for  himself  what  is  right  or 
wrong,  and  of  acting  accordingly.* 

Hence,  the  Gospel,  which  was  designed  for  men  in  a 
more  advanced  state  than  that  of  the  ancient  Israelites, 
gives  much  less  of  precise  directions  than  the  Mosaic 
law.  It  is  not  that  a  less  degree  of  moral  excellence  is 
required  of  the  Christian,  but  that  the  Gospel  lays 
down  pure  and  elevated  moral  principles,  rather  than 
exact  rules  ;  and  requires  men  to  conform  their  lives  to 
those  principles. 

§  2.  —  Men  accustomed  to  Precise  Rules. 

Most  men,  however,  are  willing  rather  to  have  certain 
exact  rules  laid  down  for  them  as  to  particular  points, 
and  to  be  told  precisely  what  they  are  to  do  and  to 
avoid,  in  each  case,  than  to  be  left  to  their  own  discre 
tion,  and  required  to  regulate  their  own  conduct  for 
themselves,  according  to  certain  principles,  and  to  be 
made  responsible  for  doing  so.  And  this  was  particu 
larly  the  case  with  those  Jews  whom  our  Lord  was  ad 
dressing,  because  they  had  been  brought  up  under  the 
Mosaic  law,  which  contains  a  great  number  of  precise 


*  Sec  Lessons  on  Eeligious  Worship,  Lesson  III. 


MODE    OP   MORAL    TEACHING   OF    SCRIPTURE.      33 

directions.  And  besides  this  law,  they  had  among  them 
many  pretended  traditions  (often  alluded  to  in  the  Gos 
pel  history),  which  claimed  to  be  of  equal  authority  with 
the  written  law.  These  are  to  be  found  in  a  book  now 
extant,  called  the  "  Mishna,"  which  contains  a  multitude 
of  minute  precepts ;  some  of  them  additions  to  the  laws 
of  Moses,  and  some  explanations  of  those  laws,  and  di 
rections  how  they  are  to  be  observed. 

Now,  a  people  who  had  been  trained  under  such  a 
system  would  particularly  require  to  have  strongly  im 
pressed  on  their  minds  that  Jesus  did  not  design  to  give 
them  any  such  exact  set  of  rules  as  they  would  be  likely 
to  expect. 

And  here  you  may  observe  what  a  strong  internal  ] 
evidence  this  affords  of  the  divine  origin  of  our  religion. 
If  Jesus  and  his  Apostles  had  been  mere  uninspired 
men  they  would  not  have  failed  —  brought  up  as  they 
had  been  under  the  Jewish  system  —  to  lay  down  such  ; 
precise  precepts  as  the  people  of  that  Age  and  Country 
were  the  most  willing  to  receive,  and  the  most  prepared 
to  expect.  Their  proceeding  in  quite  a  different  way 
from  what  would  have  been  both  the  most  natural  to 
themselves  (as  mere  men),  and  the  most  acceptable  to 
their  hearers,  is  one  of  the  many  marks  of  their  having 
come  from  God. 

§  3.  —  Principles  substituted  for  Exact  Rules. 

How  much  men  did,  at  first,  expect  a  system  of  exact 
rules  you  may  see  from  several  passages  in  the  Gos 
pels.  For  instance,  you  find  Peter  asking  his  Master, 
on  one  occasion,  "  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother  sin 
against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ?  till  seven  times  ?  "  And 


34  LESSONS    ON   MOKALS. 

you  find  one  who  had  been  told  that  he  was  bound  to 
"  love  the  Lord  his  God  with  all  his  heart,"  &c.,  and 
"  his  neighbor  as  himself/'  inquiring,  "  Who  is  my  neigh 
bor  ? "  wishing  to  have  a  certain  exact  line  drawn  be 
tween  those  whom  he  was,  and  was  not,  bound  to  love 
and  to  benefit.  And  Jesus  shows  him  that  by  one's 
"  neighbor "  is  meant  any  one  whom  it  is  in  our  power 
to  serve ;  giving  an  example  of  an  alien,  and  one  of 
a  different  religion. 

But  our  Lord,  in  the  general  course  of  his  teaching, 
took  an  effectual,  method  of  showing  his  disciples  that 
He  meant  them  (instead  of  satisfying  themselves  with  a 
literal  conformity  to  certain  precise  rules]  to  cultivate 
right  dispositions,  and  act  on  right  principles.  This  He 
does  by  often  giving  such  precepts  that  a  literal  compli 
ance  with  them  would  be  either  (1.)  impossible,  or  (2.) 
irrational  and  absurd,  or  (3.)  insignificant,  and  of  too 
little  importance  to  be  worth  inculcating  for  their  own 
sake.  For  where  a  literal  compliance  with  some  pre 
cept  would  be  either  impossible  or  absurd  or  wrong,  it 
is  plain  that  such  a  compliance  could  not  be  intended ; 
and  where  it  would  be  trifling  and  unimportant,  it  is 
manifest  that  it  could  not  be  all  that  was  intended.  And 
thus  the  disciples  were  driven  —  if  they  were  sincerely 
desirous  to  learn,  and  would  intrepret  rationally  and  can 
didly  what  they  heard  —  to  perceive  that  such  precepts 
were  designed  to  explain  and  to  impress  on  their  minds 
the  dispositions  they  were  to  cultivate,  and  the  general 
principles  on  which  they  were  to  act. 

§  4.  —  Morcd  Discretion. 
For  instance,  when  our  Lord  tells  his  disciples  to 


MODE    OP   MORAL    TEACHING    OF    SCRIPTURE.      35 

make  their  prayers  and  their  alms  so  secret  that  "  their 
left  hand  should  not  know  what  their  right  hand  did " ; 
and  again,  "  to  let  their  light  so  shine  before  men, 
that  they  might  see  their  good  works,  and  glorify  their 
Heavenly  Father,"  it  is  plain  that  an  exact  literal  com 
pliance  with  both  precepts  would  be  impossible,  and 
therefore  could  not  have  been  designed.  What,  then,  is 
it,  one  may  ask,  that  He  did  mean  ?  Evidently,  that 
when  the  publicity  of  our  alms  and  our  devotions  seems 
likely  to  benefit  men  by  our  good  example,  then  we 
should  let  them  see  our  light  shining,  "  that  they  may 
glorify  our  Father  in  heaven  " ;  and  that,  when  it  is  our 
own  glory  rather  than  his  that  is  sought,  or  that  is  likely 
to  be  the  only  effect  of  publicity,  then  concealment  should 
be  preferred.  And  of  this  our  great  Master  requires 
us  to  judge  for  ourselves  in  each  case,  and  to  decide  ac 
cording  to  our  discretion. 

Again,  when  He  tells  us  that,  in  order  to  be  "  his  dis 
ciple,"  a  man  must  "  hate  father  and  mother,  and  wife 
and  children,  and  all  that  he  hath,"  it  is  plain  that  this 
was  not  meant  to  be  understood  and  obeyed  literally. 
And,  indeed,  He  himself  supplies,  in  another  place,  an 
explanation  of  it,  when  He  says,  "  He  that  loveth  fa 
ther  and  mother  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me." 

But,  even  independently  of  that  explanation,  it  is  suf 
ficiently  clear  to  any  one  of  ordinary  good  sense  and 
candor  that  He  was  looking  to  those  cases  (very  com 
mon  at  that  time)  in  which  the  opposition  of  parents,  or 
wife,  or  children,  must  be  encountered  by  one  resolving 
to  be  a  devoted  servant  of  Christ ;  and  that  he  must  be 
ready  in  such  cases  to  account  as  nothing  in  comparison 
the  regard  felt  for  those  who  have  the  strongest  hold  on 


36  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

our  hearts,  when  we  could  not  comply  with  their  wishes 
without  deserting  our  Master's  cause.  And  this  he  ex 
presses  i'n  another  place  by  saying,  "  If  thine  eye  offend 
thee,  pluck  it  out ";..."  if  thy  right  hand  offend  thee, 
cut  it  off  and  cast  it  from  thee  "  ;  that  is,  if  what  is  most 
dear  and  precious  to  thee  prove  a  hinderance  in  the  path 
of  Christian  duty,  renounce  it  at  once  and  completely. 

§  5. — Principles  taught  by  Instances  in  Small  Matters. 

Then,  again,  several  of  our  Lord's  precepts  relate,  as 
has  been  just  said,  to  such  small  matters,  that  every  can 
did  and  sensible  person  must  perceive  that  a  mere  literal 
compliance  with  them  could  not  have  been  all  that  was 
meant,  and  that  the  design  must  have  been  to  give  a  sam 
ple  of  the  kind  of  disposition  to  be  cultivated.  When, 
for  instance,  Jesus  censures  those  who  took  possession  of 
the  most  honorable  seats  at  a  feast,  and  tells  his  disci 
ples  to  take  the  lowest  seats,  He  does  indeed  mean  that 
his  precepts  should  be  literally  complied  with ;  since 
unobtrusive  modesty  is  right,  and  arrogant  forwardness 
wrong,  both  in  great  matters  and  in  small;  but  He 
meant  to  give  a  specimen,  in  one  of  the  smaller  points 
relating  to  good  manners,  of  the  disposition  to  be  shown 
in  all  cases ;  and  accordingly  He  concludes  by  laying 
down,  generally,  "  Every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall 
be  abased,  but  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  ex 
alted." 

Again,  He  gives  an  example  and  also  a  precept,  both 
of  humility  and  kindness,  in  condescending  to  wash  his 
disciples'  feet,  and  adding,  "  Ye  ought  also  to  wash  one 
another's  feet."  This  was  (as  is  well  known),  from  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  the  Age  and  Country,  one  of 


MODE    OF   MORAL    TEACHING    OF    SCRIPTURE.      37 

the  chief  refreshments  to  travellers.  This  particular 
service,  consequently,  was  chosen  as  affording  an  easy 
and  familiar  illustration  of  the  general  disposition  He 
designed  to  encourage,  —  a  readiness  to  perform  kind 
offices  for  each  other.  Now,  if  the  particular  office  of 
kindness  selected  by  Him  had  been  one  of  the  most  im 
portant  services  of  life,  the  disciples  might  possibly  have 
supposed  that  the  precept  related  to  that  particular  ser 
vice  alone.  But  this  was  guarded  against  by  his  partic 
ularizing  one  of  the  commonest  and  smallest  services. 
When  He  said  to  them,  "  Ye  ought  to  wash  one  another's 
feet,"  they  must  have  felt  sure  that  the  precept  was 
meant  to  extend  to  more  than  that  one  small  point  of 
hospitality,  and  to  comprehend  a  general  readiness  to 
befriend  one  another. 

These  few  instances  may  suffice  as  specimens  (since 
you  may  easily  find  others  for  yourself)  to  show  how 
our  great  Master  guarded  his  hearers  against  expecting 
to  receive  any  complete  set  of  precise  rules  for  their 
conduct ;  and  against  satisfying  their  conscience  by  the 
performance  of  certain  specified  acts,  and  by  taking 
care  to  do  nothing  that  is  expressly  forbidden. 

§  6.  —  Importance  of  Right  Motives. 

Another  point  on  which  our  Scriptures  supply  need 
ful  corrections  of  men's  moral  notions,  is  the  importance 
of  right  motives.  Thus  our  Lord  declares  that  the  alms 
giving  of  the  Pharisees  was  utterly  worthless  in  God's 
sight,  because  it  was  practised  through  ostentation,  "  for 
to  be  seen  of  men."  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,"  said  He, 
"  they  have  their  reward  " ;  that  is,  the  human  praise, 
which  was  what  they  sought,  they  may  obtain ;  but  that 
4 


38  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

is  all:  the  Divine  approbation  they  must  not  expect. 
The  Apostle  Paul,  again,  tells  the  Corinthians :  "  Though 
I  give  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  give 
my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth 
me  nothing." 

Men  have  the  more. need  to  be  put  on  their  guard 
as  to  this  point,  because  it  is  possible,  and  indeed  com 
mon,  for  a  person's  acts  to  be  of  service  to  his  neighbors, 
or  to  the  Public  (as,  for  instance,  the  relieving  of  the 
distressed  poor),  though  they  have  nothing  at  all  of  the 
character  of  virtue,  from  want  of  the  right  motive. 

Every  one  must  perceive,  on  reflection,  that  the  very 
same  act  may  be  either  virtuous,  or  sinful,  or  indifferent, 
according  to  the  motive  from  which  it  is  done.  And  so 
completely  does  the  moral  character  of  any  action  de 
pend  on  the  motive  and  intention  of  the  agent,  that,  when 
this  is  fully  known,  we  account  him  right  or  wrong  (as 
the  case  may  be),  even  when  no  outward  act  at  all  has 
taken  place,  or  one  quite  different  from  what  was  de 
signed.  For  instance,  that  attendant  on  King  William 
Rufus,  who  discharged  at  a  deer  an  arrow  which  glanced 
against  a  tree  and  killed  the  king,  was  no  murderer,  be 
cause  he  had  no  such  design.  And,  on  the  other  hand, 
a  man  who  should  He  in  wait  to  assassinate  another, 
and  pull  the  trigger  of  a  gun  with  that  intent,  would  be 
morally  a  murderer,  not  the  less  though  the  gun  should 
chance  to  miss  lire. 

So  also,  when  our  first  parents  transgressed  the  di 
vine  law  in  Paradise,  their  sin  was  committed  as  soon  as 
they  had  fully  resolved  to  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  and 
before  it  had  actually  entered  their  lips.  Whatever  ef 
fects  may  have  been  produced  in  them  by  the  actual  eat- 


MODE  OF  MORAL  TEACHING  OF  SCRIPTURE.   39 

ing  of  the  fruit,  it  could  not  have  been  to  make  their  na 
ture  frail,  and  such  as  to  commit  sin;  since  they  had 
actually  committed  their  sin  before.  And  in  whatever 
sense,  therefore,  they  may  have  been  said,  before,  to 
have  been  "  very  good,"  it  could  not  have  been  in  the 
sense  of  their  being  originally  exempt  from  this  frailty 
and  proneness  to  disobedience.  /That  their  character  I 
may  have  become  worse,  through  some  effect  producedj 
by  the  fruit  itself,  is  quite  possible.;  But  to  speak  of 
Man's  having  become  liable  to  sin,  through  committing 
sin,  would  be  as  absurd  as  to  speak  of  his  having  cre 
ated  himself. 

§  7.  —  Virtue  and  Vice  depend  on  the  Motives. 

It  is  plain,  then,  that  though  we  commonly  speak  of 
virtuous  and  vicious  conduct,  yet,  properly  speaking, 
and  in  the  strictest  sense,  it  is  not  the  actions  them 
selves  that  are  virtuous  or  vicious,  but  the  disposition 
of  the  agent.  The  outward  acts  are  accounted  morally 
good  or  evil,  merely  as  being  signs  of  the  inward  dispo 
sition.  They  are  generally  the  best  signs  we  can  have 
of  a  man's  disposition ;  but  we  all  know  that  they  are 
not  to  be  relied  on  as  infallible  signs.  If,  for  instance, 
any  one  were  making  bountiful  gifts  to  the  poor,  he 
might,  perhaps,  be  considered  as  kind-hearted  and  lib 
eral  ;  but  if  it  were  discovered  that  he  was  doing  this 
for  the  sake  of  securing  his  election  to  a  seat  in  Parlia 
ment,  or  for  some  other  object  of  his  own,  no  one  would 
any  longer  give  him  credit  for  virtue  in  what  he  was  do 
ing.  And  (as  was  formerly  observed,  Lesson  I.)  if  any 
one  acts  honestly,  and  does  what  is  right  in  itself,  merely 
from  submission  to  the  laws,  and  through  fear  of  incur- 


40  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

ring  legal  penalties,  this  is  evidently  mere  prudence,  and 
not  moral  virtue. 

You  are  to  remember,  however,  that  when  we  speak 
of  the  intention  and  design  being  what  makes  a  man's 
conduct  morally  good  or  bad,  we  mean,  not  an  intention 
merely  of  doing  what  he  thinks  right,  but  what  really 
is  right.  For,  as  has  been  above  observed,  the  unbe 
lieving  Jews  thought  they  were  doing  God  service  in 
killing  the  Christians.  But  this  neither  justified  the  act} 
nor  made  the  intention  a  good  one. 

And  you  are  also  to  remember,  that  we  are  not  speak 
ing  of  intentions  and  designs  to  do  at  some  future  time 
what  is  in  one's  power  to  do  at  once  ;  but  of  such  a  full 
intention  and  purpose  as  will  lead  to  immediate  action  as 
soon  as  the  opportunity  offers.  For,  "  to-morrow,"  says 
the  proverb,  "  comes  never  " ;  and  the  same  tempter  who 
leads  you  to  put  off  doing  what  is  right  to  a  "  more  con 
venient  season,"  will  be  as  ready  to  suggest  an  excuse 
to-morrow  as  to-day. 


LESSON    VI. 

MORAL   DISCIPLINE. 

§  1. —  Object  of  requiring  Good  Conduct. 

THE  object  aimed  at  by  any  moral  instructor,  and  of 
course  by  the  sacred  writers,  is  to  make  us  good  men. 
And  good  works,  [or  virtuous  actions,]  which  are  the 
natural  fruit  of  good  dispositions,  are  required  principal 
ly  as  a  proof  of  those  dispositions,  and  as  an  exercise 
and  training  to  produce  a  virtuous  character. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  a  farmer,  or  any  other  employer 
of  laborers,  endeavors  to  make  his  men  honest  and  in 
dustrious,  in  order  that  they  may  do  his  work  the  better, 
he  is  not  properly  a  moral  instructor ;  since  his  main 
object  is,  not  the  benefit  of  the  workmen  themselves, 
(though  he  may,  in  fact,  have  greatly  benefited  them,) 
but  the  work  done,  which  is  for  his  profit. 

Now  it  is  plain  that  our  Divine  Master  can  have  no 
need  of  the  services  of  his  creatures ;  and  that,  there 
fore,  the  good  works  which  He  requires  of  us  must  be 
entirely  for  our  own  benefit,  not  for  his,  in  order  to  our 
moral  improvement.  And  from  this  you  may  see  how 
utterly  worthless  in  his  sight  must  be  any  good  works 
(that  is,  good  in  themselves)  not  done  from  a  good  mo 
tive.  For  "  Can  a  man  be  profitable  unto  God,  as  he 

that  is  wise  may  be  profitable  unto  himself?     Is  it  any 

4* 


42  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

pleasure  to  the  Almighty,  that  thou  art  righteous  ?  or  is 
it  gain  to  Him  that  thou  makest  thy  ways  perfect?" 
Job  xxii.  2,  3. 

§  2.  —  Good  Works  by  Proxy. 

And  you  may  also  see  what  an  absurdity  those  fall 
into  who  imagine  that  it  is  possible  to  do  good  works  by 
proxy,  and  in  this  way  to  have  imputed  to  us  as  ours 
what  is  done  by  another  on  our  behalf.  Yet,  in  some 
Christian  churches,  men  have  been  so  far  deluded  as  to 
imagine  that  it  can  be  acceptable  to  God  to  pay  a  priest 
to  perform  religious  exercises  for  them,  or  to  pay  a  per 
son  to  go  on  pilgrimages,  and  undergo  penances,  on  their 
behalf  and  in  their  stead.  Now  all  this  evidently  goes 
on  the  notion  that  these  supposed  good  works  have  a 
value  in  themselves  in  God's  sight,  and  are  acceptable  to 
Him  on  their  own  account,  as  if  they  were  some  benefit 
to  Himself. 

But  if  those  prayers  and  pilgrimages,  etc.,  were  really 
the  best  possible  works  in  themselves,  it  is  plain  that  the 
Most  High  could  have  no  need  of  them,  and  that  it  is 
not  for  his  profit,  but  for  ours,  that  he  requires  us  to 
worship  and  to  obey  Him.* 

We  do,  indeed,  find  in  Scripture  several  expressions 
which,  taken  literally  and  by  themselves,  would  imply 
that  God  is  really  desirous,  for  his  own  sake,  of  the  wor 
ship  and  services  of  his  creatures.  He  even  describes 
Himself  as  a  "jealous  God";  meaning  that  He  will  not 
allow  the  honor  due  to  Him  to  be  paid  to  others.  But 
this  is  to  be  understood  in  the  same  way  as  when  anger 

*  See  Note  at  the  end  of  this  Lesson. 


MORAL    DISCIPLINE.  48 

and  repentance  are  attributed  to  Him ;  and  even  eyes, 
and  ears,  and  hands.  All  this  is  meant  to  impress  on 
us  that  He  knows  all  things,  —  as  we  do  what  we  see 
and  hear ;  and  that  we  ought  to  dread  disobeying  Him, 
as  we  should  some  great  earthly  king  who  would  be 
really  angry  at  our  rebellion ;  and  that  we  should  be  as 
careful  to  honor  Him  as  if  He  really  could  be  gratified 
by  our  honor. 

But  it  is  plain  that  He  cannot  really  have  any  need 
of  our  services ;  and  that  it  is  for  our  own  sakes,  and 
that  of  our  brethren,  not  for  his,  that  we  are  command 
ed  to  "  do  all  for  the  glory  of  God." 

§  3.  —  Works  required  for  the  Sake  of  the  Works. 

The  distinction  we  have  been  speaking  of,  which  it  is 
most  important  to  keep  in  mind,  may  be  thus  illustrated ; 
if  a  man  offers  for  sale  any  article  —  for  instance,  a 
map  —  to  a  publisher,  it  is  no  matter  to  the  purchaser 
whether  the  man  drew  it  himself  or  got  some  friend  to 
draw  it  for  him.  Provided  the  map  is  honestly  the 
seller's  property,  and  is  well  executed,  that  is  all  that  is 
to  the  purpose.  On  the  other  hand,  if  a  schoolmaster 
sets  a  boy  to  draw  a  map,  by  way  of  practice,  in  order 
that  he  may  learn  to  be  a  good  draughtsman,  then,  if 
the  boy  should  get  a  schoolfellow  to  do  it  for  him,  and 
should  show  it  up  as  his  own,  he  would  be  reproved  and 
punished.  For  the  task  was  set  him,  not  for  the  sake 
of  the  map,  (which  the  master  could  have  drawn  better 
for  himself,)  but  as  an  exercisre  for  the  improvement  of 
the  learner. 

Now  you  cannot  doubt  that  this  latter  case  answers 
to  ours  in  reference  to  our  Divine  Master,  and  that,  as 


44  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

"  no  man  can  be  profitable  unto  God,"  and  He  cannot 
stand  in  need  of  our  services,  it  must  be  a  mere  ground 
less  fancy  to  think  that  another  person  can  perform  our 
duty-  in  our  stead,  and  that  his  good  works  —  real  or 
supposed  —  can  be  imputed  to  us,  and  considered  as 
done  by  ourselves. 

A  like  illustration  from  the  case  of  a  school  will  serve 
to  explain  another  point  also,  on  which  some  persons 
have  fallen  into  perplexity  or  mistake,  —  that  of  the  re 
wards  promised  in  Scripture,  and  the  merit  which  some 
suppose  good  works  to  possess  in  God's  sight. 

Suppose,  for  instance,  some  rich  and  liberal  man 
should  found  a  school  for  the  children  of  his  poor  neigh 
bors  ;  and  suppose  that,  besides  building  a  school-house, 
and  providing  teachers  and  school-books,  he  should  also 
propose  prizes  for  such  of  the  scholars  as  should  behave 
well,  and  make  good  proficiency  in  their  learning. 
Every  one  would  understand  that  the  children  and  their 
parents  ought  to  be  very  grateful  to  such  a  patron  for 
his  kind  bounty.  And  the  children  would  easily  be 
made  to  understand  that  they  ought  to  show  their  thank 
fulness  by  taking  pains  to  profit  by  the  advantages  af 
forded  them.  They  would  readily  understand  that  any 
of  them  who  should  behave  ill,  or  refuse  to  learn,  would 
be  expelled ;  and  that  those  who  exerted  themselves 
would  obtain  the  prizes.  And  when  it  was  said  that 
the  prizes  were  to  be  the  reward  of  good  behavior,  no 
one  would  be  so  stupid  as  to  think  that  those  who  gained 
them  could  claim  them  as  something  earned  by  them 
selves  as  a  matter  of  right,  and  for  which  they  owed  no 
thanks  to  any  one.  All  would  understand  that  the  pro 
posing  of  the  prizes  was  from  the  free  bounty  of  the 


MORAL    DISCIPLINE.  45 

kind  patron ;  and  that  the  proficiency  in  learning  of  the 
children  thus  rewarded  was  no  benefit  to  him,  but  only 
to  them ;  and  that  it  was  entirely  for  their  sakes  that 
they  were  encouraged  to  take  pains  in  learning. 

But  they  would  fully  calculate  on  receiving  the  prom 
ised  rewards  in  case  of  good  conduct,  though  not  as  what 
they  had  originally  any  claim  to,  but  because  it  had 
been  promised.  For,  though  the  offer  of  the  prizes 
came  from  the  patron's  free  bounty,  the  fulfilment  of  a 
promise  once  made  is  a  matter  of  justice. 

§  4.  —  Righteousness  of  God. 

And,  accordingly,  we  read  that  "  God  is  not  unright 
eous  [unjust]  to  forget  our  work  and  labor  of  love " : 
not  that  He  was  originally  bound  in  justice  to  reward 
any  good  works  of  ours,  or  that  they  can  be  a  benefit  to 
Him  ;  but  because  He  has  graciously  promised  to  be  a 
"  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  Him."  The 
offer  of  a  reward  to  any  of  his  creatures  is  a  free  gift  of 
his  bounty ;  but  we  may  trust  to  his  justice  to  make 
good  what  He  has  said. 

If  you  could  imagine  the  patron  of  a  school,  such  as 
we  have  been  describing,  to  have  supplied  to  the  chil 
dren  not  only  a  school-room,  and  teachers  and  books,  but 
also  the  eyes  with  which  they  read  the  books,  and  the 
ears  with  which  they  hear  what  is  said  to  them,  and  the 
brain  by  which  they  understand  it,  then  the  case  would 
answer  more  closely  to  that  of  ourselves  in  reference  to 
our  Maker,  "  in  whom  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  be 
ing."  For  He  has  supplied  to  us  all  our  powers  of  mind 
and  body,  and  He  requires  us,  as  He  certainly  has  a  full 
right  to  do,  to  employ  these  in  leading  a  Christian  life 


46  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

and  devoting  ourselves  to  his  service.  And  He  has  held 
out  to  us  the  promise  of  the  "prize  of  our  high  calling," 
—  the  "crown  of  glory,"  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
Judge,  will  give,  at  that  day,  to  all  them  that  love  his 
appearing.  To  this  we  could  have  no  natural  claim; 
and  though  we  may  fully  rely  on  his  justice  for  the  ful 
filment  of  his  promises,  all  that  we  can  receive  from 
Him  is  not  the  less  a  free  and  bountiful  gift,  since 
the  promises  themselves  proceed  from  his  bounty  alone. 

§  5.  —  Good  Conduct  has  no  natural  Claim  to  Reward. 

Some,  however,  are  apt  to  speak  as  if  they  thought 
that  virtue  is,  in  itself,  naturally  entitled  to  reward ;  and 
that,  if  any  Being  could  lead  a  life  (though  none  of  us 
does  so)  of  perfect,  unsinning  virtue,  he  might  then  just 
ly  claim  [though  we  cannot]  to  be  rewarded  with  im 
mortal  happiness. 

But  you  may  easily  perceive,  from  considering  what 
is  the  nature  of  duty,  that  such  a  notion  is  quite  ground 
less.  For  it  is  evident  that  a  duty  must  be  something 
that  is  due,  —  a  debt  which  we  are  bound  to  discharge. 
That  is  the  very  meaning  of  the  word.  And  no  one 
can  be  justly  entitled  to  reward  for  merely  paying  his 
debts.  If  a  man  fail  to  pay  what  he  was  bound  to  pay, 
he  is  liable  to  punishment.  If  he  does  pay  his  debts, 
he  is  exempt  from  punishment ;  and  that  is  all  he  can 
claim. 

Reward  is  what  a  man  is  justly  entitled  to,  only  for 
doing  something  beyond  what  he  was  bound  to,  —  some 
thing  which  he  could  not  have  been  liable  to  punish 
ment  for  not  doing.  For  instance,  if  a  man  devotes  his 
own  private  property,  and  time,  and  labor,  to  the  effect- 


MORAL    DISCIPLINE.  47 

ing  of  some  great  public  benefit,  when  he  was  not  re 
quired  to  do  so,  the  nation  will  think  such  a  man  worthy 
of  being  rewarded  by  some  public  honors  bestowed  on 
him.  And  when  any  one  bountifully  relieves,  out  of 
his  own  private  purse,  his  distressed  neighbors  who  had 
no  claim  on  him,  this  is  a  merit  as  regards  them ;  and 
he  is  justly  entitled  to  their  gratitude,  and  to  any  ser- 
yices  they  may  be  able  to  do  him  in  return. 

But  the  Most  High  has  evidently  a 'just  claim  to  the 
obedience  of  his  creatures ;  and  all  that  they  can  do  in 
the  keeping  of  his  commandments  can  have  no  claim 
of  merit  in  his  sight,  being  only  the  payment  of  a  debt 
due  to  Him. 

And,  accordingly,  our  Lord  tells  his  disciples  that 
when  they  have  "done  all  things  that  He  has  com 
manded  them,  they  are  to  say,  We  are  unprofitable  ser 
vants  :  we  have  done  that  which  it  was  our  duty  to  do." 
And  thus  also  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of  "  death  being 
the  wages  of  sin,  but  eternal  life  the  gift  of  God  through 
Jesus  Christ." 

§  6.  —  Reward  and  Punishment  when  due. 

Some  persons,  however,  are  accustomed  to  speak  of 
the  rewarding  of  virtue  and  the  punishment  of  vice,  as 
if  the  two  naturally  went  together.  But  they  may  per 
ceive,  on  reflection,  that  this  is  not  at  all  the  true  state 
of  the  case.  For  no  man  is  punishable  for  omitting  to 
do  something  which  he  was  not  hound  to  do.  And  for 
doing  anything  that  he  was  bound  to  do  —  such  as  pay 
ing  a  debt  —  he  has  no  natural  claim  to  reward,  only  to 
exemption  from  punishment.  If,  indeed,  a  reward  has 
been  promised  him  for  doing  his  duty,  he  may  look  for 


48  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

that  reward  on  the  ground  of  the  promise  made,  and  on 
that  ground  alone.  But  the  merit  which  claims  reward, 
as  in  itself  rightly  due,  must  be  for  some  things  beyond 
what  a  person  was  bound  to  do. 

And,  accordingly,  those  Churches  which  teach  that 
the  supposed  merits  of  saints  may  be  transferred  from 
them  to  us,  always  represent  these  merits  as  consisting 
in  what  are  called  works  of  "  supererogation  " ;  that  is, 
something  beyond  their  duty,  over  and  above  that  which 
was  required  of  them.  But  such  a  notion  is  utterly 
groundless,  and  contrary  both  to  Scripture  and  Reason. 
For  Scripture  teaches  that  we  are  "to  love  the  Lord 
our  God  with  all  our  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength.'* 
And  Reason  teaches  that  nothing  we  can  do  that  is  ac 
ceptable  to  Him  can  be  more  than  his  just  due.  There 
may,  indeed,  be  something  which,  from  peculiar  cir 
cumstances,  is  a  duty  to  one  man  and  not  to  another. 
And  thus  one  man  may  go  beyond  what  is  required 
of  some  other  men ;  but  no  one  can  go  beyond  his  own 
duty. 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  no  human  virtue  can  have 
merit  in  God's  sight,  or  any  natural  claim  to  reward,  in 
dependently  of  express  promise.  In  reference  to  your 
fellow-men,  indeed,  you  may  have  merit,  and  may  justly 
deserve  from  them  gratitude  and  reward,  for  having 
done  them  some  service  that  is  in  itself  valuable  to  them, 
and  which  is  also  beyond  what  they  had  any  right  to  re 
quire.  But  it  is  plain  that  nothing  of  this  kind  can  be 
the  case  in  reference  to  our  Maker. 

And  as  for  Man's  attaining  heavenly  happiness  by 
the  performance  of  good  works,  even  in  unsinning  per 
fection,  no  such  thought  can  enter  the  mind  of  any  one 


MORAL    DISCIPLINE.  49 

who  has  any  just  notions  either  of  the  nature  of  Virtue, 
or  of  his  Religion.  For  Reason  teaches  us  that  the 
idea  of  a  man's  raising  himself  to  immortal  life,  is  as 
absurd  as  that  of  a  brute's  exalting  itself  into  a  man ; 
and  that  the  performance  of  duty  cannot  (as  has  been 
just  said)  entitle  us,  of  itself,  and  independently  of  ex 
press  promise,  even  to  any  reward  at  all.  And  the 
Christian  Scriptures  teach  us  that  "  by  grace  [i.  e.  favor] 
we  are  saved ;  and  that  not  of  ourselves  :  it  is  the  gift 
of  God." 


NOTE.  —  If  any  one  should  ask  you,  "  Since  the  Most  High  can 
have  no  need  of  any  one's  services,  or,  again,  of  any  one's  sufferings, 
how  can  it  be  that  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  could  procure 
Man's  salvation,  and  that  He  should  have  suffered  in  our  stead?  "  If 
any  one  should  ask  this  question,  you  should  answer  that  you  do  not 
know ;  since  it  is  a  point  on  which  Scripture  gives  us  no  explanation ; 
and  that  you  cannot  clear  up  either  that  or  any  other  part  of  the  one 
great  mysterious  difficulty  (of  which  this  is  a  branch),  the  existence 
of  evil  in  the  universe.  We  know,  as  a  fact,  from  the  plain  declara 
tions  of  Scripture,  that "  Christ  died,  the  just  for  the  unjust,"  and 
that  "by  his  stripes  we  are  healed  " ;  and  we  must  suppose  that  if  it 
had  been  possible  for  us  to  understand,  and  needful  for  us  to  know, 
the  reasons  why  this  was  necessary,  and  how  the  death  of  Christ  avails 
us,  the  Scriptures  would  have  told  us.  But  they  do  not.  They 
merely  tell  us  the  fact.  And  if,  again,  Scripture  had  plainly  declared 
that  it  is  possible  to  be  virtuous  by  proxy,  and  that  another  person's 
good  works  would  be  accepted  by  the  Most  High  as  ours,  then  we 
should  have  been  bound  to  believe  this,  though  unable  to  explain  it. 
But  as  it  is,  the  Scriptures  tell  us  no  such  thing.  We  are  left  on 
this  point  to  the  light  of  Eeason ;  and  nothing  can  be  more  contrary 
to  Reason,  than  that  one  man's  virtue  should  be  accounted  another's, 
—  that  a  barren  branch  of  the  vine  should  be  reckoned  fruitful,  on 
account  of  the  fruitfulness  of  another  branch. 

It  is  for  us  to  take  Scripture  as  we  find  it;  not  presuming  to  add 
on  doctrines  of  our  own  devising,  or  attempting  to  explain  mysteries 
5 


50  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

i  which  Revelation  has  left  unexplained.  It  is  for  us  to  seek  to  know 
as  much,  and  to  be  content  to  know  only  as  much,  of  heavenly  things 
as  Scripture  tells  us ;  and  to  remain  willingly  ignorant  of  what  our 
all- wise  Master  does  not  think  fit  to  teach  us.  According  to  the  wise 
saying  of  Scaliger,  — 

"  Nescire  velle  quoe  Magister  optimus 

Docere  non  vult,  erudita  inscitia  est." 
"  Be  willing  and  contented  not  to  know 
What  our  Great  Teacher  thinks  not  fit  to  show: 
This  is  Man's  truest  wisdom  here  below." 


LESSON    VII. 

PROPER    OFFICE    OF    CONSCIENCE. 

§  1.  —  Foundation  of  our  Moral  Notions. 

You  may  have  seen,  then,  that  (1.)  the  law  of  the 
land  is  not  to  be  made  the  standard  of  moral  right  and 
wrong;  both  because  it  cannot  enforce  all  duties,  or 
prohibit  everything  that  is  wrong ;  and  also  because  it 
is  only  concerned  with  outward  acts,  and  cannot  control 
motives;  though  it  is  on  these  that  the  whole  moral 
character  of  any  action  depends. 

(2.)  You  have  seen  that  Conscience  [or  the  moral 
faculty]  is  a  part  of  the  human  constitution ;  since  with 
out  such  a  faculty  it  would  have  been  totally  impossible 
to  form  the  notion  of  such  a  thing  as  duty,  or  such  a 
thing  as  sin ;  though  we  might  have  submitted  to  the 
divine  commands  as  a  matter  of  prudence. 

(3.)  You  have  seen  that  Conscience  being  (like  the 
rest  of  our  faculties)  liable  to  corruption,  capable  of  im 
provement,  and  requiring  sometimes  to  be  corrected  and 
sometimes  to  be  fortified  ;  hence,  God  has  been  pleased 
to  afford  us  in  the  Scriptures  much  important  moral  in 
struction,  both  by  precept  and  examples,  and  also  the 
promise  of  divine  aid  in  the  performance  of  duty,  and, 
lastly,  the  promises  and  warnings  relating  to  the  Day  of  I 
Judgment. 


52  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

j  And  (4.)  it  was  pointed  out,  that,  since  the  Most  High 
can  have  no  need  of  our  services,  it  is  plain  that  good 
works  are  required,  not  as  a  benefit  to  Him,  but  as  an 
exercise  to  us,  in  order  to  our  own  moral  improvement ; 
and  can  have  no  merit  in  his  sight,  nor  can  claim  re 
ward  from  Him,  except  on  the  ground  of  his  free  prom 
ises. 

In  order,  then,  to  form  a  virtuous  character,  two  things 
are  requisite :  —  (1.)  that  we  should  steadily  act  on  prin 
ciple, —  conforming  all  our  conduct  to  the  dictates  of 
Conscience,  and  keeping  all  our  faculties  and  tendencies 
tinder  its  control ;  and  (2.)  that  we  should  regulate  our 
Conscience  itself;  guarding  against  the  errors  to  which 
it  is  liable,  and  taking  care,  while  acting  on  principle, 
to  keep  that  a  right  principle. 

In  short,  we  must  (according  to  the  illustration  in 
Lesson  IV.)  proceed  as  a  man  of  sense  does  in  the  dis 
posal  of  his  time.  He  continually  consults  his  clock  or 
watch,  and  regulates  all  his  occupations  by  that ;  taking 
care,  however,  to  regulate  his  watch  also,  when  oppor 
tunity  offers,  by  the  sun-dial. 

T    §  2.  —  Two  Things  requisite  for  Virtuous  Conduct. 

Both  of  the  two  things  we  have  mentioned  are  equal 
ly  indispensable.  For  a  man  who  should  have  the  most 
perfect  knowledge  of  his  duty,  and  the  most  correct 
moral  judgment  on  every  point,  but  whose  passions 
should  prevail  over  his  reason,  and  cause  him  to  act 
against  his  own  judgment,  would  be  only  tormented  by 
his  conscience,  and  not  guided  by  it.  And  he  would  be 
in  the  condition  of  some  nation  whose  laws  were  wise 
'  and  good,  and  its  rulers  able  and  upright  men ;  but  in 


PROPER    OFFICE    OF    CONSCIENCE.  53 

which  the  subjects  were  in  rebellion  against  their  rulers, ) 
and  set  the  laws  at  defiance. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  man  acting  constantly  according 
to  the  dictates  of  conscience,  but  of  a  mistaken  conscience, 
and  proceeding  on  wrong  principles,  would  be  in  the 
condition  of  a  nation  in  which  the  rulers  were  strictly 
obeyed,  and  the  laws  rigidly  enforced,  but  whose  laws 
were  absurd,  and  the  rulers  unwise  or  unjust.  And  it  is 
plain  that  neither  of  these  nations  would  be  in  a  pros 
perous  condition. 

Conscience  is,  as  we  have  said,  a  mere  tormenter  to 
one  who  does  not  act  according  to  it.  And  the  more 
conscientious  any  one  is,  and  the  clearer  and  juster  his 
moral  judgments,  and  the  better  he  is  acquainted  with 
God's  commandments,  the  more  he  will  suffer  the  mis 
ery  of  self-reproach,  if  he  is  leading  a  life  of  sin.  And, 
accordingly,  the  Apostle  Paul  gives  a  vivid  and  touch-  / 
ing  description  of  a  man  in  this  condition;  of  one, 
that  is,  who  knows  the  divine  will,  and  in  his  judg 
ment  approves  of  what  is  right,  but  who  is  enslaved  to 
["  sold  under "]  his  passions,  and  acts  against  his  con 
science.  "I  delight  in  the  law  of  God,"  —  he  repre 
sents  such  a  man  as  saying,  —  "  after  the  inward  man  ; 
but  I  see  another  law  in  my  members,  warring  against 
the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me-  into  captivity  to 
the  law  of  sin,  which  is  in  my  members.  0  wretched 
man  that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death  ?  "  Rom.  vii.  22  -  24. 

•  It  is  plain  that  the  same  sort  of  description  would  ap 
ply  to  any  one  who  is  acting  contrary  to  his  judgment 
of  what  is  right ;  whether  his  knowledge  be  derived 
from  a  divine  revelation,  or  from  the  light  of  nature.  / 
5* 


54  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

And,  accordingly,  several  of  the  ancient  heathen  writers 
give  nearly  the  same  picture  of  a  man  wanting  in  self- 
control,  and  sinning  against  his  own  better  judgment. 
In  particular,  the  most  celebrated  and  the  soundest  of 
the  ancient  moralists,  Aristotle,*  has  a  passage  agreeing 
in  substance,  and  almost  in  words,  with  what  we  find  in 
the  Apostle  Paul,  describing  the  wretched  state  of  the 
man  in  whose  mind  there  is,  he  says,  a  continual  inward 
"  civil  war  "  between  his  conscience  and  the  passions  that 
|  enslave  him. 

§  '3.  —  Man  wider  the  Law  and  under  the  Gospel. 

Of  course,  the  Apostle,  though  using  the  first  person,  is 
not  describing  his  own  actual  condition,  or  that  of  those 
he  was  writing  to,  but  that  of  one  who  has  a  knowledge 
of  what  is  right,  but  wants  strength  of  purpose  to  act  on 
that  knowledge.  That  he  is  not  speaking  of  himself  in 
dividually  —  nor  indeed  of  the  Roman  Christians  at  that 
time  —  is  plain,  from  his  going  on  to  say  immediately 
after,!  "  There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit.  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death."  (chap.  viii.  1,  2.) 

And,  moreover,  he  had  just  before  been  saying  to  the 


*  See  Note  at  the  end  of  this  Lesson. 

f  You  are  to  remember  that  the  divisions  into  chapters  and  verses 
were  not  the  work  of  the  sacred  writers,  but  were  made  long  after 
their  time,  for  the  sake  of  reference. 

It  happens,  unluckily,  that  the  brenk  between  the  7th  and  8th  chap 
ters  conies  in  the  midst  of  an  argument,  and  almost  in  the  middle  of 
a  sentence. 


PROPER    OFFICE    OF    CONSCIENCE.  55 

Romans  (chap,  vi.),  "  God  be  thanked,  that  ye  were  the 
servants  of  sin,  but  ye  have  obeyed  from  the  heart  that 
form  of  doctrine  which  was  delivered  to  you.  Being 
then  made  free  from  sin,  ye  became  the  servants  of 
righteousness."  (v.  17,  18.) 

And,  in  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  he  de 
scribes  himself  as  "  keeping  under  his  body,  and  bring 
ing  it  into  subjection  " ;  which  is  a  complete  contrast  to 
the  state  of  a  man  "  sold  [as  a  slave]  under  sin,"  and 
"  brought  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin." 

But  he  is  describing  (in  Rom.  vii.),  first,  the  condition 
of  a  person  situated  as  the  Gentiles  had  been,  who  had 
no  revelation  of  God's  laws,  and  were  left  to  the  imper 
fect  guidance  of  mere  natural  conscience.  "  I  was  alive," 
says  he,  (that  is,  had  not  incurred  —  or,  at  least,  was 
not  aware  of  having  incurred  —  the  penalty  of  death,) 
"  without  the  law,  once." 

Now  Paul  himself,  we  know,  was  born  and  educated 
a  Jew,  and  never  had  been  "  without  the  law  "  ;  but  he 
is  speaking  (though  in  the  first  person,  which  is  a  very 
common  mode  of  expression,  not  only  with  Paul,  but  in 
our  common  conversation)  of  a  Gentile,  in  ignorance  of 
the  law.  And  then  he  proceeds  to  point  out  how  the 
"  coming  in  of  the  law  "  —  that  is,  the  knowledge  of  it 
—  caused  "  sin  to  enter  in "  (Rom.  vii.  9) ;  that  is, 
caused  that  to  be  —  and  to  be  perceived  to  be  —  sin, 
which  had  not  been  so  before. 

And  then  he  goes  on  to  describe  the  condition  of  a 
person  having  a  knowledge  of  the  divine  will,  but  want 
ing  self-control,  and  "  sold  under  sin."  And,  lastly,  he 
describes  (cli.  viii.)  the  situation  of  those  on  whom  the 
Gospel  has  bestowed  the  inestimable  gift  of  divine  grace, 


56  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

not  only  to  show  them  what  is  right,  but  to  strengthen 
them  for  the  performance  of  it,  and  thus  to  make  them 
"free  from  the  law  of  sin." 

§  4.  —  Depraving  of  Conscience. 

Many  persons,  however,  are  apt  to  seek  an  escape 
from  the  reproaches  of  conscience  by  bringing  their  con 
science  to  conform  to  their  conduct.  They  try  to  satisfy 
themselves  that  they  are  right  in  following  their  own 
wrong  inclinations  and  prejudices,  and  that  their  faults 
are  not  faults,  or  not  faults  in  them  ;  or,  at  least,  that 
they  are  quite  trifling  and  excusable  faults.  Many  a 
man  takes  more  pains  to  justify  his  faults  than  it  would 
cost  him,  with  God's  help,  to  cure  them. 

Those  who  labor  thus  to  blind  their  own  judgment, 
and  to  satisfy  their  conscience  by  perverting  it,  will  gen 
erally  succeed,  sooner  or  later,  in  this  self-deceit.  And 
then  they  rejoice  in  the  thought  that  they  are  free  from 
self-reproach,  and  are  acting  agreeably  to  the  dictates  of 
conscience,  when  perhaps  the  truth  is,  that  they  are  not 
doing  so,  because  they  think  it  right ;  but,  on  the  con 
trary,  have  brought  themselves  to  think  it  right,  because 
they  were  inclined  to  do  it.  It  is  not  that  they  omit 
such  and  such  duties  from  being  originally  ignorant  that 
they  are  duties  ;  but  they  have  persuaded  themselves 
that  they  are  not  duties,  because  their  inclination  is 
against  them. 

It  is  a  proverbial  remark,  and  a  just  one,  that  "  a  liar 
will  sometimes  repeat  the  same  falsehood  so  often,  that 
at  last  he  will  come  to  believe  it  himself."  He  did  not 
originally  say  it  because  he  believed  it ;  but,  by  saying 
it,  has  brought  himself  to  believe  it.  The  like  takes 


PROPER  OFFICE  OF  CONSCIENCE.        57 

place  with  many  other  sins  besides  lying.  And  a  man 
will  often  succeed  in  thus  convincing,  not  only  himself, 
but  others,  of  his  "  sincerity."  When  they  are  satisfied 
that  he  believes  what  he  says,  and  thinks  it  right  to  act 
as  he  does,  they  will  often  take  this  as  at  least  some  ex 
cuse  or  palliation,  even  when  they  think  him  in  the 
wrong.  And  so  it  is,  if  a  man  speaks  and  acts  as  he 
does,  properly  in  consequence  of  his  judging  it -to  be 
right ;  but  if  it  be,  that,  in  consequence  of  his  so  act 
ing,  he  has  at  length  brought  himself  to  judge  it  right, 
this  kind  of  "  sincerity  "  is  the  last  stage  of  moral  cor 
ruption.  For  this  is  not  taking  conscience  for  one's 
guide,  but  making  one's  self  the  guide  of  conscience. 

And,  thus,  a  person  who  begins  by  committing  the  one 
of  those  two  errors  above  mentioned  will  end  by  com 
mitting  the  other.  If  you  begin  by  neglecting  the  warn 
ings  of  conscience,  and  acting  against  your  own  moral 
judgment,  that  judgment  will  in  time  become  depraved, 
and  you  will  act  on  wrong  principles.  For  when  any 
country  (according  to  the  illustration  above  given)  has 
long  permitted  rebellious  subjects  to  disobey  the  legiti 
mate  governors,  and  transgress  the  laws,  it  is  likely  that 
in  time  those  rebels  will  themselves  become  the  real 
governors,  and  will  make  such  laws  as  they  please. 

Even  the  teaching  of  Scripture,  which  was  designed 
for  our  guidance  and  correction,  will  not  serve  that  pur 
pose,  to  any  one  who  reads  it  with  a  biassed  mind,  and 
searches  in  it  for  a  confirmation  of  his  own  opinions  and 
a  justification  of  his  own  conduct.  His  reading  will  be 
like  a  man's  looking  at  objects  through  a  colored  glass, 
which  shows  them  not  as  they  really  are,  but  tinted  with 
the  hue  of  the  glass.  And  such  a  person  is  not  really 


58  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

following  Scripture,  but   making  Scripture  follow   his 
prejudices. 

§  5.  —  Misapplying  of  Scripture. 

The  Apostle  Paul,  for  instance,  before  his  conversion, 
u  verily  thought  that  he  ought  to  do  many  things  "  against 
Christianity.  Yet  he  was  familiar  with  the  Old  Testa 
ment  Scriptures  ;  those  Scriptures  from  which  he  him 
self  afterwards  "  proved  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ."  But 
he  had  been  in  the  state  of  mind  which  he  afterwards  de 
scribes  as  that  of  many  of  his  countrymen,  who,  he  says, 
in  reading  the  books  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  have  a 
"  veil  on  their  hearts." 

And,  again,  you  may  find  persons  convinced  that  they 
are  bound  to  receive  all  the  doctrines  and  decrees  of 
their  Church,  even  when  plainly  contrary  to  the  written 
word  of  God,  because  our  Lord  said  —  in  speaking  of 
the  case  of  a  dispute  betiveen  two  private  individuals  — 
that,  if  any  one  "  refuse  to  hear  the  church,"  he  is  to  be 
regarded  "  as  a  heathen  man." 

So,  also,  (to  refer  to  the  passage  of  Scripture  above 
mentioned,)  men,  leading  a  profligate  life,  and  given  up 
to  the  practice  of  vices  which  their  moral  judgment  con 
demns,  may  flatter  themselves  that  they  are  just  in  the 
condition  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  and  as  safe  as  he  was ; 
because  they  will  insist  on  it  that  he  was  speaking  of 
himself  individually  in  his  actual  state,  when  he  said,  "  I 
am  carnal,  sold  under  sin,"  etc. 

Again,  the  words  of  the  Prophet  Isaiah  (Ixiv.  G), 
"  All  our  righteousness  is  as  filthy  rags,"  may  be  inter 
preted,  taken  by  themselves,  to  signify  that  our  practice 
of  righteousness  is  not  all  acceptable  to  God.  For  the 


PROPER  OFFICE  OF  CONSCIENCE.        59 

sacred  writers  —  or  indeed  any  writer  —  may  be  made 
to  say  anything  by  thus  picking  out  a  sentence,  or  half- 
sentence,  here  and  there.  But  if  you  lodk  to  the  whole 
of  the  passage,  you  will  see  that  the  prophet  is  not  speak 
ing  of  persons  who  had  been  obedient  to  God's  laws,  but 
of  those  who  had  been  most  emphatically  ?mrighteous. 
"  Behold,"  says  he,  "  thou  art  wroth,  for  we  have  sinned. 
....  We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our  right 
eousness  is  as  filthy  rags ;  and  we  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf, 
and  our  iniquities  like  the  wind  have  taken  us  away,  and 
there  is  none  that  calleth  on  thy  name."  His  expres 
sion  is  only  another  way  of  saying,  "  We  are  quite  desti 
tute  of  righteousness,"  even  as  the  same  prophet  (ch.  i.) 
described  a  like  condition  by  saying,  "  Thy  silver  is  be 
come  dross." 

There  are  many  other  parts  of  the  Bible  that  may  be 
thus  perversely  interpreted,  so  as  to  sanction  what  is  ab 
surd  or  wrong.  And  thus  may  men,  as  the  Apostle 
Peter  warns  us,  "  wrest  the  Scriptures  to  their  own  de 
struction."  Such  students  of  Scripture  resemble  (to  re 
cur  to  a  former  illustration)  a  man  who  should  pretend 
to  regulate  his  clocks  and  watches  by  the  sun-dial,  and 
should  go  to  it  in  the  night  with  a  candle,  and  thus  throw 
the  shadow  whichever  way  he  would. 


NOTE.  —  Aristotle,  in  the  subjoined  extract  from  his  Ethics,  agrees, 
as  you  will  see,  in  substance,  and  almost  in  words,  with  what  Paul 
says  in  Rom.  vii.  Many  other  passages  to  the  same  effect  will  be 
found  in  several  of  the  ancient  writers.  But  there  are  some  persons 
so  ignorant  of  what  the  heathen  authors  have  said,  and  so  uncon-  / 
scious  of  their  own  ignorance,  as  to  imagine  that  no  one  not  enlight- 


60  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

j  ened  by  tho  Gospel  could  have  used  such  expressions  as  those  of 
Paul.  The  passage  here  given,  from  Aristotle,  will  serve  as  a  speci 
men  to  show  how  greatly  they  are  in  error. 

And  tho  error  is  a  dangerous  one ;  because  those  who  teach  that 
the  Apostle  is  speaking  of  himself  in  his  present  state,  nullify  all  the 
moral  instruction  they  may  give  elsewhere.  All  their  descriptions  of 
Christian  virtue  will  be  regarded  as  something  very  beautiful  in 
theory,  but  quite  impossible  to  be  realized  in  practice.  For  no  one 
will  ever  presume  to  think  of  becoming  a  better  man  than  the  Apos 
tle  Paul.  And  any  one  who  is  living  a  life  of  gross  vice,  while  ac 
knowledging  and  admiring  the  excellence  of  a  virtuous  life,  and  who 
is,  in  practice,  "  brought  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  in  his  mem 
bers,"  will  consider  all  attempts  at  reformation  as  hopeless,  and  will 
think  himself  in  a  safe  state,  as  being  in  the  very  same  state  with  a 
most  eminent  Apostle.  There  is,  moreover,  a  danger  of  this  misinter 
pretation  leading  to  infidelity,  or  at  least  to  a  disparagement  of  Paul's 
authority.  For  if  you  compare  "the  sixth  chapter  of  this  epistle,  and 
also  the  eighth,  with  the  seventh,  you  will  see,  that,  supposing  him  to 
have  been  speaking  of  himself  throughout,  he  is  made,  according  to 
the  plain  sense  of  his  words,  to  fall  into  the  most  gross  and  absurd 
self-contradiction;  such  as  no  inspired  writer,  nor  even  any  man  of 
good  sense,  could  have  been  guilty  of. 

Extract  from  Aristotle's  Ethics,  B.  ix.  c.  4. 

"Some  define  'a  friend'  one  who  keeps  company  with  you,  and 
has  the  same  preferences,  'and  sympathizes  with  your  sorrows  and 
joys,  etc.,  etc. 

"  Now  all  these  things  exist  in  the  virtuous  man,  in  reference  to 
himself.  ....  Such  a  one  agrees  in  sentiments  with  himself,  and 
seeks  the  same  objects  in  ererypart  of  his  mind.  And  he  wishes  for 
and  acts  for  what  is  good  for  himself,  and  what  appears  so;  namely, 
for  the  rational  portion  of  himself,  which  is  what  is  most  properly 
eacli  man's  self.  ....  He  likes  his  own  company ;  for  the  recollec 
tion  of  his  past  actions  is  agreeable,  and  he  has  good  hopes  for  the 
future.  And  he,  above  all  others,  sympathizes  with  himself  in  pains 
and  pleasures.  For  the  same  things  are  painful  and  agreeable  to  him 
throughout  his  whole  mind,  and  not  one  thing  to  one  portion  of  him 
and  another  to  another;  for  he  is,  so  to  speak,  exempt  from  regrets 

and  ehanges  of  mind But  nothing  of  this  kind  is  found  in 

j  worthless  characters.  For  they  are  at  variance  with  themselves,  and 
have  a  craving  for  ono  thing  and  a  deliberate  mil  for  a  different  one, 


PROPER  OFFICE  OF  CONSCIENCE.        61 

as  is  the  case  with  those  destitute  of  self-command :  for  they  prefer 
to  that  which  they  themselves  think  good  for  them,  pleasures  which 
are  hurtful  for  them.  Some,  again,  through  cowardice  or  indolence, 
draw  back  from  such  actions  as  they  themselves  know  to  be  best  for 
them.  And  those  who  have  committed  many  dreadful  deeds,  and  are 
hated  on  account  of  their  wickedness,  fly  from  life  and  make  away 
with  themselves. 

"  Bad  men,  again,  seek  for  some  persons  to  keep  them  company, 
and  fly  from  themselves.  For  when  left  to  themselves,  they  remem 
ber  many  things  that  are  odious,  and  look  forward  to  such  conduct  in 
future ;  but  in  company  with  others,  they  are  enabled  to  forget  them 
selves.  And  having  in  them  nothing  amiable,  they  have  not  towards 
themselves  any  of  the  feelings  of  a  friend.  They  do  not  sympathize 
with  their  own  pleasures  and  pains ;  for  their  mind  is  in  a  state  of 
discord,  and  one  portion  of  it  is,  on  account  of  its  evil  nature,  pained 
at  abstaining  from  certain  things,  while  another  portion  is  gratified 
by  such  abstinence ;  and  one  part  draws  one  way  and  another  the  op 
posite,  as  if  pulling  the  man  asunder,  ....  for  bad  men  abound  in 
regrets. 

"  A  bad  man,  then,  seems  not  to  have  the  feelings  of  a  friend,  even 
towards  himself,  from  having  nothing  in  him  worthy  of  friendship. 

"  Now  if  such  a  state  be  an  excessively  miserable  one,  we  ought 
earnestly  to  strive  to  avoid  wickedness,  and  endeavor  to  become  vir 
tuous.    For  so  will  a  man  become  a  friend  to  himself,  and  obtain  the  ', 
friendship  of  others." 


LESSON     VIII. 

REGULATION    OP    CONSCIENCE. 

§  1. —  Conscience  never  to  be  opposed. 

You  have  seen  that,  as  man's  conscience  is  not  in 
fallible,  you  must  not  at  once  conclude  that  you  are 
right  when  you  are  acting  according  to  the  dictates  of 
conscience.  And  yet  you  may  be  sure  that  you  are 
wrong  if  you  are  acting  against  it.  For  if  you  do  what 
you  believe  to  be  wrong,  even  though  you  may  be  mis 
taken  in  thinking  so,  and  it  may  be  in  reality  right,  still 
you  yourself  will  be  wrong. 

And  this  is  what  the  Apostle  Paul  means  when  he 
says,  "  Happy  is  he  that  condemneth  not  himself  in  that 
tiling  which  he  alloweth,"  Rom.  xiv.  22 ;  and,  "  What 
soever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin  " ;  that  is,  whatsoever  is  not 
done  with  a  full  conviction  [faith]  that  it  is  allowable, 
is,  to  him,  sinful ;  and  he  condemns  himself  in  doing  it. 

And  on  this  principle  he  alludes  (in  1  Cor.  x.)  to  the 
case  of  some  of  the  "  weaker  brethren  "  [the  less  intelli 
gent]  among  the  early  Christian  converts,  who  thought 
that  the  flesh  of  animals  which  had  been  offered  in  sacri 
fice  to  idols  was  unclean,  and  not  to  be  eaten.  lie  does 
not  at  all  himself  partake  of  this  scruple  ;  considering  it 
a  matter  of  no  consequence,  in  a  religious  or  moral  point 
of  view,  what  kind  of  food  a  man  eats.  But  he  teaches 


KEGULATION    OF    CONSCIENCE.  63 

that  those  who  do  feel  such  a  scruple  would  be  wrong 
in  eating  that  flesh,  and  "  their  conscience  being  weak  is 
defiled ;  for  to  him  who  thinketh  it  unclean,  to  him  it  is 
unclean."  And  he  teaches  also  that  it  would  be  wrong 
for  any  one  to  induce  others  to  do  what  they  think  sinful, 
though  it  be  something  that  is  not  sinful  to  one  who 
does  not  think  it  so. 

In  such  a  case  as  this,  both  parties  are  acting  rightly, 
if  the  one  eats  what  he  is  convinced  is  allowable,  and 
the  other  abstains  from  what  he  thinks  is  not  allowable ; 
provided  always  that  neither  of  them  uncharitably  cen 
sures  or  derides  his  neighbor.  "  Let  not  him  that  eat 
eth,"  says  Paul,  "  despise  him  that  eateth  not ;  and  let 
not  him  that  eateth  not,  judge  him  that  eateth."  And, 
"  Let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind." 
Rom.  xiv.  5. 

§  2.  —  A    Wrong  Principle  makes  it  impossible  to  act 
rightly. 

But  there  are  some  cases  in  which  a  man  who  has 
been  brought  up  in  some  wrong  system,  or  who  in  any 
way  has  taken  up  some  false  principle,  may  hold  himself 
bound  in  duty  to  do  what  is  in  itself  wrong.  And  in 
such  a  case  he  cannot  but  go  wrong,  whichever  course 
he  may  take,  till  his  moral  judgment  has  been  set  right. 

For  instance,  if  a  jury  have  formed  a  false  opinion  as 
to  some  cause  tried  before  them,  either  from  their  hav 
ing  been  biassed  by  their  feelings  and  prejudices,  or 
from  not  having  listened  with  sufficient  attention  to  the 
witnesses  and  the  arguments  on  both  sides,  it  is  impossi 
ble  for  them,  while  in  this  state  of  mind,  to  give  a  right 
verdict.  For  a  verdict  according  to  the  wrong  opinion 


64  LESSONS    OX    MORALS. 

they  have  formed  would,  of  course,  be  a  wrong  one ; 
and  yet  no  one  would  say  that,  while  they  do  hold  that 
opinion,  they  would  be  right  in  giving  a  contrary  ver 
dict. 

So  the  Apostle  Paul  himself  "  verily  thought  that  he 
ought "  to  persecute  the  Christian  Church ;  and  in  doing 
so,  he  acknowledges  that  he  was  guilty  of  a  grievous 
sin.  He  had  not  studied  the  ancient  prophecies  with 
sufficient  care,  and  candor,  and  humility,  to  perceive 
from  them,  in  conjunction  with  the  rest  of  the  evidence, 
that  Jesus  was  the  true  Christ,  and  not,  as  his  enemies 
maintained,  an  impious  pretender.  But  it  is  plain  that, 
wThile  Paul  did  hold  this  erroneous  belief,  it  would  not 
have  been  right  for  him  to  become  a  disciple  of  Jesus, 
whom  he  then  regarded  as  a  false  prophet. 

Again,  the  doctrine  has  been  distinctly  maintained  (in 
a  Protestant  book,  published  a  few  years  ago),  that  "the 
magistrate  who  restrains,  coerces,  and  punishes  those 
who  oppose  a  true  religion,  and  seek  to  propagate  a 
false  one,  obeys  the  will  of  God,  and  is  not  a  persecutor" 
Now  suppose  any  magistrate  to  have  embraced  this  doc 
trine,  believing  —  as  of  course  he  must  —  his  own  re 
ligion  to  be  true,  and  those  opposed  to  it  false,  he  will, 
of  course,  hold  himself  bound  in  duty  to  establish  a  sys 
tem  of  what,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word,  is  called 
"  persecution  "  ;  though  he  may  satisfy  himself  by  not 
calling  it  by  its  real  name.  And  if,  through  tenderness 
of  feeling,  he  should  spare  any  whom  he  accounts  here 
tics,  he  will  consider  himself  as  disobeying  God's  will. 
Such  a  man,  therefore,  as  long  as  he  is  in  this  state  of 
mind,  "not  knowing  what  manner  of  spirit  he  is  of," 
cannot  possibly  be  right,  whichever  course  he  may  take. 


REGULATION    OF    CONSCIENCE.  65 

Any  one,  therefore,  whose  conscience  has  been  in  any 
way  depraved,  and  who  is  proceeding  on  some  wrong 
principle,  cannot  possibly  act  rightly,  whether  he  act  ac 
cording  to  his  conscience  or  against  it,  till  he  is  cured  of 
that  defect  in  his  moral  judgment. 

If,  however,  any  one  has  done  his  best  to  form  a  right 
judgment,  and  acts  accordingly,  but  has  fallen  into  error 
through  unavoidable  ignorance,  or  weakness  of  under 
standing,  we  may  hope  that  his  all-seeing  and  merciful 
Judge  will  pardon  this  involuntary  error.  But  as  no 
more  is  required  of  us  than  to  do  our  very  utmost  to 
avoid  error,  so  no  less  is  required,  if  we  would  stand  ac 
quitted  before  Him.  And  what  mortal  can  know,  with 
complete  certainty,  who  has,  or  has  not,  done  his  utmost? 
You  should  never  therefore  allow  yourself  to  pronounce 
with  full  confidence,  that  your  neighbor  has  not  done 
this,  or  that  you  yourself  have. 

§  3.  —  Careful  Study  needed  for  Good  Conduct. 

You  can  see  plainly,  therefore,  that  one  who  is  sin 
cerely  anxious  to  lead  a  virtuous  life  has  need  of  dili 
gent  study  and  care,  to  learn  what  his  duty  is  in  each 
case,  as  well  as  of  firm  resolution  in  keeping  steadily 
to  the  course  his  conscience  points  out.  You  must  not 
be  satisfied  with  doing  what  you  think  right,  —  that  is, 
with  thinking  that  to  be  right  what  you  do,  —  unless  you 
have  also  taken  pains  to  form  a  right  judgment.  Nor 
must  you  be  satisfied  with  opening  the  Bible  at  random, 
and  taking  for  your  direction  any  passage  that  happens 
to  meet  your  eye ;  or  again,  looking  out  for  some  pas 
sage  that  may  be  so  interpreted  as  to  justify  the  course 
you  are  inclined  to  take.  And  you  should  not  listen  to 


66  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

any  one  who  would  persuade  you  that  no  careful  study 
is  needed  in  order  to  learn  and  practise  your  duty ;  and 
that  any  such  Lessons  as  these  now  before  you  may  be 
thrown  aside  as  useless  ;  and  that  if  you  have  but  a  right 
faith,  and  pray  for  divine  guidance,  your  religion  will  at 
once  make  you  a  good  man,  without  any  pains  or  watch 
fulness  as  to  your  moral  character  being  required. 

The  Scriptures  themselves,  if  you  will  listen  to  them, 
will  teach  you  quite  otherwise.  Our  Lord  bids  his  dis 
ciples  "watch  and  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation." 
We  must  pray  as  if  nothing  depended  on  ourselves  ;  and 
we  must  watch  as  if  everything  depended  on  ourselves. 
And  He  and  his  apostles  exhort  us  to  "  strive,"  to 
"  run,"  to  "  give  all  diligence  "  in  our  Christian  course, 
and  to  "  work  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trem 
bling,"  that  is,  with  anxious  care,  on  the  very  ground 
that  it  is  "  God  that  worketh  in  us,  both  to  will  and  to 
do  of  his  good  pleasure." 

§  4.  —  Divine  Blessing  bestoived  on  Diligent  Care. 

And  it  is  thus  that  every  man  of  common  sense  pro 
ceeds  in  all  the  concerns  of  ordinary  life,  when  he  is 
thoroughly  in  earnest.  A  gardener,  for  instance,  knows 
very  well  that  the  fertility  of  the  earth,  and  the  life  of 
all  his  plants,  are  God's  gift ;  and  that,  without  the  rain 
and  sunshine  from  heaven,  his  trees  would  bear  no  fruit. 
But  he  does  not  satisfy  himself  with  merely  praying  for 
favorable  seasons,  and  then  leaving  his  garden  to  the 
care  of  Providence.  He  digs  and  manures  the  ground ; 
and  he  not  only  takes  care  of  the  roots  of  his  fruit-trees, 
but  also  endeavors  to  protect  the  blossoms  from  blight 
ing  winds  and  noxious  insects.  And  even  so  we  are 


REGULATION    OF    CONSCIENCE.  67 

bound,  not  only  to  take  care  about  a  right  faith,  which  is 
the  root  of  Christian  virtue,  but  also  to  bestow  vigilant 
care  on  the  moral  character  itself. 

So  also,  if  any  one  is  endeavoring  to  learn  some  art 
or  trade  by  which  to  maintain  himself,  though  he  will,  if 
he  be  a  pious  man,  beg  the  divine  blessing  on  his  exer 
tions,  he  will  not  omit  those  exertions.  He  knows,  in 
deed,  that  his  hands,  and  eyes,  and  ears,  and  understand 
ing,  are  all  divine  gifts ;  but  he  knows  also  that  he  must 
diligently  and  carefully  exercise  all  the  faculties  that 
have  been  bestowed  upon  him,  and  lose  no  opportunity 
of  gaining  useful  instruction  in  his  business.  Now,  to 
improve  one's  moral  character  is  the  business  of  every 
man.  And  as  no  one  can  think  this  a  matter  of  less  im 
portance  than  any  of  the  various  arts  of  life,  so  we  have 
no  reason  to  expect  that,  in  this  great  concern,  God 
will  bestow  that  blessing  on  the  negligent  which,  in 
everything  else,  He  reserves  for  the  diligent. 


LESSON  IX. 

• 

DIFFICULTIES    OF    MORAL    DISCIPLINE. 

§  1.  —  Moral  Improvement  a  Laborious  Task. 

IT  is  important  to  observe,  that  one  who  earnestly  sets 
himself  to  the  task  of  moral  improvement,  must  not  ex 
pect  to  obtain  at  once  the  comfort  of  an  easy  and  quiet 
conscience.  On  the  contrary,  he  will  sometimes  find 
that,  as  he  proceeds  in  his  task,  his  conscience  will  even 
give  him  increased  uneasiness.  But  this  should  not  dis 
courage  him,  if  the  case  be  that  the  pain  felt  is  not  from 
increased  sinfulness,  but  from  increased  consciousness  of 
it ;  not  from  his  conduct  having  become  worse,  but  from 
his  moral  judgment  being  more  enlightened,  and  his 
perception  of  what  is  wrong,  and  his  abhorrence  of 
it,  stronger  than  before. 

When  a  strong  light  is  admitted  into  a  room  which 
had  been  left  in  a  slovenly  state,  and  partially  darkened, 
the  stains  on  the  walls,  and  the  dirt  on  the  floor,  which 
had  escaped  notice  in  a  dim  light,  will  now  strike  the 
eye  of  every  one.  This  will  be  likely  first  to  shock  and 
disgust  the  occupiers  of  the  room,  and  next  to  set  them 
upon  cleaning  it.  Even  so,  a  person  who  has  been  la 
boring  to  purify  and  to  raise  his  moral  character,  and  to 
advance  in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  virtue,  will 
often  perceive  more  and  more  of  blemishes  which  he 


DIFFICULTIES    OF   MORAL    DISCIPLINE.  69 

had  before  overlooked.  He  will  perhaps  find  in  him 
self  faults  which  he  had  thought  himself  free  from ; 
and  he  will  reproach  himself  for  having  omitted  duties 
which  had  not  formerly  occurred  to  him  as  duties.  But 
he  must  consider  the  increased  pain  caused  by  a  more 
enlightened  conscience  as  a  step  towards  improvement, 
and  as  something  that  ought  rather  to  encourage  than 
to  dishearten  any  one  who  is  really  bent  on  amend 
ing  his  life. 

§    2.  —  No  direct  Pleasure  from  Conformity  to   Con 
science. 

But  after  all,  (as  was  remarked  above,)  the  most  en 
lightened  conscience,  and  the  most  exact  compliance 
with  its  dictates,  will  never  of  itself  afford  us  directly 
any  positive  pleasure,  though  it  will  save  us  from  a  vast 
amount  of  pain.  For  it  is  the  office  of  conscience  to 
point  out  what  is  our  duty ;  that  is,  what  is  dite,  —  what 
we  are  bound  to  do,  as  a  man  is,  to  pay  his  debts.  Now 
no  one  can  claim  reward  or  praise  for  paying  a  debt,  — 
only,  exemption  from  punishment.  And  when  any  one 
is  considered  as  deserving  from  his  fellow-men  some  re 
ward,  this  is  always  for  doing  something  beyond  what 
they  had  a  right  to  require  of  him,  —  something  which 
they  could  not  have  justly  punished  him  for  omitting  to 
do.  And  from  our  Maker,  therefore,  no  creature  can 
claim  praise  or  reward,  except  on  the  general  ground 
(as  was  pointed  out  in  Lesson  V.)  of  his  free  and  boun 
tiful  promise. 

In  this  respect,  then,  the  moral  faculty  [or  "  moral 
sense,"  or  "  conscience,"  or  "  sense  of  justice  "]  differs 
from  our  other  faculties,  sentiments,  and  propensities. 


70  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

For  each  of  these,  when  strong,  not  only  gives  pain  if 
its  exercise  is  impeded,  but  affords  positive  pleasure 
when  its  action  is  freely  called  forth.  For  instance,  a 
benevolent  man  not  only  is  pained  by  the  sight  of  suffer 
ing  which  he  cannot  relieve,  but  feels  delight  in  doing 
good,  and  is  positively  pleased  with  the  view  of  an 
other's  gratification.  So  again,  one  in  whom  the  senti 
ment  of  attachment  to  friends  is  strong,  not  only  is  dis 
tressed  at  the  absence  or  loss  of  friends,  but  greatly 
enjoys  their  society ;  and  one  in  whom  the  love  of  ap 
probation  is  strong,  is  not  only  pained  by  censure  or  con 
tempt,  but  a)so  highly  gratified  by  praise.  Any  one, 
again,  in  whose  character  there  is  a  great  deal  of  firm 
ness  (the  propensity  of  which  the  faulty  excess  is  blind 
obstinacy),  is  gratified  by  the  very  act  of  holding  reso 
lutely  to  his  purpose,  against  solicitations,  and  threats, 
and  difficulties  of  any  kind.  A  great  calculator  delights 
in  the  work  of  calculation.  One  who  possesses  in  a 
great  degree  the  faculty  which  phrenologists  call  "  con- 
structiveness,"  will  take  pleasure  either  in  building  and 
in  constructing  machines,  or  in  framing  systems,  devis 
ing  plans,  composing  books,  or,  in  short,  in  some  way 
putting  things  together,  so  as  to  form  a  whole.  And  so 
it  is  with  the  rest  of  our  faculties  and  propensities. 

But  the  moral  faculty  —  which  some  call  conscien 
tiousness —  is  an  exception.  When  it  is  strong,  it  is 
capable  of  giving,  if  opposed,  great  pain ;  but,  as  has 
been  above  explained,  no  direct,  positive  pleasure,  if 
complied  with.f  It  then  merely  says  to  us,  "You  are  an 
unprofitable  servant ;  you  have  but  done  that  which  it 
was  your  duty  to  do." 

" 


DIFFICULTIES    OF   MORAL    DISCIPLINE.  71 

§  3.  —  Indirect    Gratifications  from  the  Discharge   of 
Duty. 

But  then  God  has  been  graciously  pleased  so  to  order 
things,  that  indirectly  (though  not  directly)  virtuous  con 
duct  does  afford  the  very  highest  gratification.  He  has 
declared  his  own  favor  and  approbation  (as  was  re 
marked  above)  of  those  who  seek  earnestly  to  do  his 
will ;  and  this  affords  a  high  gratification  of  that  love  of 
approbation  which  is  a  part  of  the  human  character. 
Again,  he  has  also  enlisted  our  self-love  in  the  same 
cause,  by  graciously  promising  to  be  "a  rewarder  of 
them  that  diligently  seek  Him."  And  hope  is  a  portion 
of  the  human  character  which  is  capable  of  affording 
very  great  pleasure. 

Moreover,  though  the  discharge  of  duty,  simply  as 
duty,  affords  no  positive  pleasure,  there  are  some  duties 
which  are  in  themselves  agreeable.  The  sentiment  of 
benevolence,  for  instance,  when  strong,  affords  in  its 
exercise  (as  has  been  just  said)  much  gratification  :  and 
the  more  we  exercise  ourselves  in  doing  good,  —  which 
is  a  great  part  of  our  duty,  —  the  more  will  the  senti 
ment  of  benevolence  be  strengthened.  Again,  the  sen 
timent  or  propensity  (whichever  it  may  be  called)  of 
firmness,  which  is  a  portion  of  man's  nature,  affords, 
when  it  exists  strongly,  a  pleasure  —  and  a  very  allow 
able  pleasure  —  in  the  very  act  of  standing  firm  against 
temptation,  and  surmounting  difficulties  in  the  perform 
ance  of  duty.  And  there  are  also  several  other  natural 
feelings  which  may  become  sources  of  much  gratifica 
tion  in  the  practice  of  duty,  and  which  will  thus  indi 
rectly  make  virtue  conduce  to  the  greatest  happiness 
even  in  this  life. 


72  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

§  4.  —  Supremacy  of  Conscience. 

And  it  may  be  added,  that,  though  conscience  is  not 
in  itself  a  source  of  positive  gratification,  every  kind  of 
enjoyment  is,  in  a  certain  sense,  dependent  on  it ;  that 
is,  the  approval  of  conscience  is,  to  a  right-minded  man, 
a  necessary  condition  of  every  kind  of  gratification.  He 
cannot  find  real,  unmixed  pleasure  in  anything  that  his 
sense  of  duty  forbids,  since  anything  which  might  be  in 
itself  agreeable  would  bring  him  more  pain  than  pleas 
ure  if  attended  with  self-reproach.  For  conscience  (or 
the  moral  faculty)  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  kind  of  abso 
lute  sovereign,  to  whom  everything  must  be  kept  in  sub 
jection,  and  without  whose  permission  nothing  is  to  be 
done.  All  our  mental  powers,  and  inclinations,  and  sen 
timents,  and  actions,  are  to  be  thus  under  the  supreme 
control  of  conscience,  and  to  be  exercised  and  indulged, 
or  restrained,  according  to  its  dictates. 

The  Creator  has  not,  indeed,  implanted  in  the  human 
mind  anything  that  is,  originally  and  in  itself,  evil.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  there  is  no  part  of  our  nature  that 
does  not  become  bad  if  not  controlled  and  regulated 
by  an  enlightened  conscience.  Some  of  Man's  disposi 
tions  indeed  are  of  a  more  amiable  character  than 
others  ;  such  as  gratitude,  compassion,  benevolence,  at 
tachment  to  our  friends,  and  love  for  our  children.  But 
even  these  are  so  far  from  being  necessarily  virtuous, 
that  they  become  mischievous  and  wrong  whenever  they 
are  not  under  the  control  of  conscience  guided  by  right 
reason.  For  instance,  if  your  attachment  to  a  friend, 
or  your  gratitude  for  services  received  from  him,  should 
lead  you  to  give  a  wrong  decision  in  his  favor,  and  to  do 


DIFFICULTIES    OF   MORAL    DISCIPLINE.  73 

injustice  to  others,  (which  you  may  often  be  strongly 
tempted  to,)  this  would  be  a  manifest  violation  of  duty ; 
and  so  it  would  be,  if  your  compassion  for  some  one  in 
distress  should  lead  you  to  give  him  what  is  not  your 
own ;  that  is,  what  you  owe  to  a  tradesman.  The  trades 
man  may  perhaps  be  less  in  want  of  the  money  than  the 
other,  or  than  you  yourself;  but  he  has  a  right  to  it, 
which  you  have  not. 

Or  again,  pity  for  a  criminal  might  tempt  you  to  par 
don  and  let  loose  on  society  a  villain  who  might  do  un 
speakable  mischief.  Or,  on  the  other  hand,  indignation 
against  injustice  and  cruelty,  which  no  one  would  con 
sider  a  feeling  bad  in  itself,  may  be  carried  to  such 
a  faulty  excess  as  to  become  itself  unjust  and  cruel. 
The  desire  of  knowledge,  again,  and  of  wisdom,  no  one 
would  call  bad  in  itself;  and  yet  it  was  this  that  tempt 
ed  our  first  parents  in  Paradise  to  disobey  the  divine 
command. 

§  5.  —  Amiable  Feelings  to  be  under  Control 

Again,  a  man's  fondness  for  his  children  may  tempt 
him  to  spoil  them  by  foolish  indulgence,  or  to  do  unjus 
tifiable  acts  for  the  sake  of  enriching  them.  And  even 
piety  —  that  is,  the  disposition  to  venerate  a  superior 
Being  —  is  far  from  being  anything  good  and  virtuous, 
unless  it  be  rightly  directed.  Indeed,  the  very  first  of 
the  ten  commandments  is  directed  against  the  worship 
of  false  gods.  And  (as  was  before  remarked,  Lesson 
III.)  great  part  of  the  worship  paid  by  the  ancient 
heathen  to  their  gods  consisted  of  acts  the  most  abomina 
ble.  And  many  of  the  heathen  idolaters  of  the  present 
day  offer  human  sacrifices.  Indeed,  one  may  say  pro- 
7 


74  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

fessing  Christians  have  done  nearly  the  same,  when  they 
have  thought  to  do  God  service  by  burning  heretics  at 
what  they  call  (auto  da  fe)  an  "  act  of  faith."  And 
such  Christians  may  be  considered  as,  in  a  certain 
sense,  worshippers  of  a  false  god ;  since,  though  they 
use  the  name  of  the  true  God,  they  give  a  totally  false 
representation  of  his  nature. 

Benevolence,  again,  when  not  under  the  control  of 
reason  and  a  sense  of  duty,  causes  some  people  to  do 
much  more  harm  than  good,  by  giving  indiscriminate 
relief  to  the  idle  and  worthless,  and  thus  drawing  men 
off  from  honest  industry,  and  encouraging  beggary. 

Over  all  our  feelings,  therefore,  and  all  our  conduct, 
a  conscientious  sense  of  duty,  under  the  guidance  of 
sound  judgment,  must  be  allowed  to  reign  supreme. 


LESSON    X. 

CULTIVATION    OF   RIGHT    FEELINGS. 

§  1. — Feelings  not  under  the  direct  Control  of  the  Witt. 

WHEN  you  are  told,  that  not  only  your  actions,  but 
your  sentiments,  inclinations,  and  feelings  of  every  kind, 
ought  to  be  under  the  control  of  conscience,  it  may,  per 
haps,  occur  to  you,  that  our  actions  only  are  directly 
subject  to  the  Will,  and  that  wishes  and  feelings  of  all 
kinds  are  involuntary.  It  may  be  in  your  power,  for 
instance,  to  do  another  person  a  service  if  you  will ;  but 
it  is  out  of  your  power  to.  make  yourself,  by  an  act  of 
the  will,  to  feel  affection  for  him.  So,  also,  a  man  may 
be  induced,  by  the  offer  of  wages  or  otherwise,  to  un 
dergo  hard  labor,  and  wounds,  and  cold,  and  heat,  and 
other  hardships ;  but  it  would  be  absurd  to  speak  of 
hiring  him  to  feel  no  fatigue,  or  cold,  or  pain.  He  may 
resolve  to  submit  to  abstain  from  food ;  but  to  resolve 
not  to  be  hungry  or  thirsty  would  be  absurd.  And  so 
it  is  with  the  rest  of  our  feelings  as  compared  with  our 
actions. 

There  is  something  of  the  same  kind  in  the  different 
functions  of  the  different  parts  of  the  bodily  frame.  Some 
of  them  depend  directly  on  the  will,  and  others  net. 
For  instance,  a  man  can  open  or  shut  his  eyes,  or  move 
his  limbs  as  he  will ;  but  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 


76  LESSONS    ON  'MORALS. 

the  process  of  digestion,  and  the  secretions  of  the  liver 
and  other  glands,  are  not  under  the  control  of  the  will. 
You  may  tell  a  man  to  walk,  or  run,  or  sit  down ;  but 
to  tell  him  to  alter  the  pulsations  of  his  heart,  or  the  di 
gestion  of  his  food,  would  be  as  idle  as  to  bid  him  "  add 
a  cubit  to  his  stature." 

But  although  many  of  the  actions  of  the  bodily  frame 
are  not  under  the  control  of  the  will  directly,  they  are 
so,  to  a  certain  degree,  indirectly.  Though  it  would  be 
in  vain  for  a  man  to  will  that  the  circulation  of  his 
blood  should  be  raised  or  lowered,  he  can  take  some 
medicine  that  will  have  such  an  effect.  It  is  not  in  your 
power  to  feel  hot  or  cold  at  pleasure  ;  but  you  may  be 
able  to  warm  yourself  by  exercise,  or  by  coming  to  a 
fire.  So,  also,  merely  to  have  a  will  to  sleep  would 
have  no  effect ;  but  it  may  depend  on  your  will  to  swal 
low  an  opiate  which  will  cause  sleep ;  and  so  in  other 
cases. 

r  §  2.  —  Feelings  under  the  Control  of  the  Will  indirectly. 

Now  something  corresponding  to  this  takes  place  with 
respect  to  all  our  sentiments,  inclinations,  and  feelings  of 
every  kind.  They  are  under  the  control  of  the  will  in 
directly,  though  not  directly.  A  skilful  orator,  if  he 
wishes  to  excite  in  his  hearers  some  feeling  —  suppose 
pity  —  does  not  think  to  effect  this  by  telling  them  to 
feel  pity  ;  because,  even  if  they  were  desirous  to  comply 
with  all  his  directions,  it  does  not  depend  on  their  will ; 
but  he  puts  before  them  a  vivid  description  of  sufferings 
undergone,  and  of  every  touching  circumstance  of  the 
case,  and  dwells  on  these  till  the  feeling  of  pity  arises  in 
their  hearts,  whether  they  will  or  no. 


CULTIVATION    OF   RIGHT   FEELINGS.  77 

It  is.  the  same  with  indignation,  admiration,  or  any 
other  feeling.  He  acts,  in  short,  the  part  of  a  physician, 
who  does  not  tell  his  patients  to  digest  their  food  better, 
or  to  quicken  their  circulation,  etc. ;  but  tells  them  to  use 
such  and  such  a  diet,  or  medicine,  which  will  aid  their 
digestion  or  circulation. 

Now  a  good  man  on  many  occasions  has  to  act  the 
part  of  an  orator  towards  himself.  If  at  any  time  he  is 
conscious  that  he  does  not  feel,  or  does  not  feel  sufficient 
ly,  the  love,  or  veneration,  or  gratitude,  or  whatever  else 
it  may  be,  which  he  is  sensible  he  ought  to  feel,  and  which 
the  case  calls  for,  it  would  be  in  vain  for  him  to  say  to 
himself,  I  will  feel  so  and  so ;  but  he  recalls  to  his  mind, 
and  dwells  upon,  all  the  circumstances  that  are  likely  to 
excite  and  to  heighten  such  a  feeling.  He  thinks  over, 
for  instance,  all  the  services  and  kindnesses  of  a  bene 
factor,  and  the  great  need  he  had  for  them,  till,  by  dwell 
ing  on  these,  the  feelings  of  gratitude  and  love  arise  in 
his  fieart. 

So,  also,  if  he  wishes  to  allay  in  himself  any  emotion, 
—  suppose  that  of  resentment,  — though  it  is  not  under 
the  direct  control  of  the  will,  he  deliberately  sets  himself 
to  reflect  on  all  the  softening  circumstances  of  the  case, 
such  as  the  provocation  the  unoffending  party  may  sup 
pose  himself  to  have  received,  his  ignorance,  or  weak 
ness,  or  perhaps  disordered  state  of  health ;  he  endeavors 
to  fancy  himself  in  the  other's  place ;  and,  above  all,  he 
meditates  on  the  parable  of  the  debtor,  who,  after  having 
been  himself  forgiven,  exacted  payment  with  rigid  sever 
ity  from  his  fellow-servant. 

And  in  all  this  he  is  proceeding  just  as  we  do  with  re 
spect  to  those  bodily  functions  before  alluded  to.     We , 
7* 


78  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

cannot,  by  a  direct  exertion  of  will,  quicken  or  retard 
the  pulse ;  but  we  can,  by  an  act  of  the  will,  swallow  a 
medicine  that  shall  produce  that  effect.  And  this  is  the 
only  possible  way  in  which  you  can  proceed,  either  with 
.  yourself  or  with  another,  in  what  relates  to  the  feelings. 

§  3.  —  How  to  influence  one's  Feelings. 

But  people  often  deceive  themselves  (though  it  may 
seem  strange  that  they  should),  by  imagining  that  they 
feel  what  they  do  not.  They  mistake  for  the  feeling  of 
compassion,  or  gratitude,  or  veneration,  etc.,  the  convic 
tion  of  their  understanding  that  the  case  is  one  which 
calls  for  such  a  feeling.  And  they  say,  perhaps,  with 
out  the  least  intention  to  deceive,  that  they  are  "  very 
glad  "  of  this,  and  "  very  sorry  "  for  that,  without  really 
feeling  the  gladness  or  the  sorrow,  but  only  a  belief  that 
they  ought  to  be  glad  or  to  be  sorry. 

But  those  two  things  —  the  conviction  of  the  under 
standing,  and  the  actual  feeling  —  are  as  different  From 
each  other,  as  a  blind  man's  full  belief  that  grass  is 
green,  and  coals  black,  is  from  the  actual  perception  of 
those  colors  by  thfe  eye. 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  you  must  proceed  different 
ly  in  regulating  your  actions  and  your  feelings.  In  bring 
ing  your  conduct  into  subjection  to  conscience,  you  must 
have  a  resolute  will  to  do  what  conscience  requires ;  but 
in  bringing  your  sentiments  and  inclinations  into  this 
subjection,  a  mere  will  to  do  so  is  not  sufficient ;  you 
must,  with  prayer  for  divine  assistance,  bring  before  your 
thoughts,  and  dwell  upon,  all  the  circumstances  that  may 
tend  to  excite  or  to  allay,  as  the  case  may  be,  the  feel 
ings  which  you  ought  to  cherish  or  to  repress. 


CULTIVATION    OF   RIGHT   FEELINGS.  79 

And  it  is  thus  that  the  sacred  writers  proceed.  "  Thou 
shalt  love,"  says  Moses,  "  the  Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy 
heart,"  etc. ;  for  "  consider  how  great  things  He  hath 
done  for  thee."  And  thus  also  do  the  Apostles  teach  us 
the  duty  of  love  to  our  Saviour :  "  For  when  we  were 
yet  without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  un 
godly  ;  for  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die,  yet 
peradventure  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to 
die.  But  God  commended  his  love  towards  us,  in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly." 
(Romans  v.  6,  7,  8.)  "  We  love  Him,"  says  John,  "  be 
cause  He  first  loved  us  " :  and  there  are  many  other 
passages  to  the  same  effect. 

§  4.  —  Control  of  Feelings  gradual. 

You  will  perceive,  then,  that  the  work  of  bringing 
about  any  change  in  your  sentiments  and  inclinations  is 
one  of  some  difficulty,  and  only  to  be  effected  gradually. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  man  who  is  resolutely  bent  on  act 
ing  differently  from  what  he  had  done  before,  may  do 
so  immediately.  "  Let  him  that  stole,"  says  the  Apostle, 
"  steal  no  more  " ;  but  rather  "  let  him  labor,  working 
with  his  hands  the  thing  that  is  good,  that  he  may  have 
to  give  to  him  that  needeth."  Now  any  one  who  was 
fully  determined  to  obey  this  admonition,  and  reform  his 
life,  would  at  once  renounce  theft,  and  betake  himself  to 
honest  industry.  But  he  would  find  that  his  former  hab 
its  of  idleness  and  dishonesty  had  left  in  him  evil  dispo 
sitions  and  wrong  wishes,  which  could  not  be  at  once 
subdued.  He  would  indeed  comply  at  once  with  the 
commandment  not  to  steal,  but  not  with  that  which  for 
bids  us  to  covet.  For  his  former  thievish  practices 


80  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

would  cause  him  to  feel  for  a  time  strongly  tempted  to 
commit  acts  which  a  man  who  had  always  lived  honestly 
would  not  so  much  as  think  of.  And  steady  industry 
will  at  first  be  much  more  irksome  to  such  a  man  than 
to  one  who  has  been  always  used  to  it,  and  who  perhaps 
would  even  be  uneasy  without  it. 

Again,  any  one  who  had  been  habitually  intemperate, 
though  he  might  firmly  resolve  —  and,  through  divine 
grace,  keep  steadily  to  his  resolution  —  to  reform  his 
life  at  once,  yet  would,  for  a  time,  suffer  much  pain  from 
the  craving  after  his  accustomed  indulgences ;  which 
craving  would  never  be  felt  at  all  by  one  who  had  been 
always  of  sober  habits.  And  so  in  other  cases. 

But  any  one  who  is  earnestly  striving  to  reform  or 
to  improve  his  character,  may  be  encouraged  by  the 
thought  that  the  chief  difficulty  is  in  the  first  step,  and 
that  his  path  will  become  smoother  and  easier  the  longer 
he  treads  in  it.  He  must  not  be  discouraged  at  find 
ing  bad  thoughts  and  wishes  force  themselves  occasion 
ally  into  his  mind,  provided  he  does  not  cherish,  and 
indulge,  and  retain  them  there,  but  strives  to  get  rid  of 
them.  His  evil  propensities  will  gradually  become 
weaker  by  being  continually  checked  and  restrained,  on 
a  right  principle. 

For  it  is  on  a  right  principle  (as  will  be  explained 
presently)  that  he  must  act,  if  he  would  acquire  a  virtu 
ous  habit  ;  and  he  will  more  and  more  acquire  a  liking 
for  many  good  actions  which  at  first  were  distasteful  to 
him. 

The  process  of  reforming  the  corrupt  nature  of  Man, 
by  establishing  a  Christian  moral  principle,  may  be  com 
pared  to  that  of  grafting  a  wilding  tree  —  such  as  a 


CULTIVATION    OF   RIGHT   FEELINGS.  81 

crab-tree,  or  wild  plum  —  with  scions  of  a  good  fruit- 
tree.  The  younger  the  stock  —  the  tree  to  be  grafted 
—  is,  the  more  easily  is  this  complete  change  in  its 
nature  brought  about ;  because,  when  it  is  once  grafted 
with  a  single  scion,  this  will  become  'the  main  stem  of 
the  tree,  and  all  the  branches  it  puts  forth  will  be  of 
the  right  sort.  But  a  wilding  tree  may  be  successfully 
grafted  at  a  considerable  age  ;  only,  in  this  case,  you 
must  put  on  perhaps  twenty  or  thirty  scions,  grafting 
each  branch  ;  and,  afterwards,  you  must  be  continually 
on  the  watch  to  cut  off  the  fresh  shoots  sent  forth  by  the 
wild  stock. 

Even  thus,  a  person  who  has  been  early  trained  in 
right  principles  will  be  likely,  in  the  whole  of  his  con 
duct,  to  put  forth,  as  it  were,  branches  of  Christian  vir 
tue  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  one  who  has  long  lived  a 
different  kind  of  life  will  have  to  unlearn  a  number  of 
distinct  evil  habits,  and  to  ingraft,  as  it  were,  each 
branch  with  a  fresh  scion  of  virtue. 

§  5.  —  Right  Acts  lead  to  Right  Inclinations. 

But  in  carrying  on  such  a  work  of  reform  or  improve 
ment  as  we  are  speaking  of,  you  must  begin  by  acting 
in  such  a  way  as  conscience  tells  you  is  right.  You 
must  not  wait  till  you  are  completely  in  a  proper  frame 
of  mind ;  and  defer  doing  what  a  virtuous  man  would 
do  till  you  have  all  the  dispositions  and  inclinations  of  a 
virtuous  man.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  only  by  so  acting 
that  you  can  acquire  those  dispositions.  Virtuous  ac 
tions  are,  indeed,  the  fruits  of  virtuous  habits  ;  but  they 
are  also  the  means  of  acquiring  those  habits.  They  are 
the  seed  produced  by  the  tree  which  springs  from  that 


82  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

seed.  To  wait,  therefore,  till  you  have  become  a  virtu 
ous  man  before  you  begin  to  lead  a  virtuous  life,  would 
be  like  resolving  not  to  go  into  the  water  till  you  were 
able  to  swim  ;  or  not  to  mount  a  horse  till  you  were  a 
good  rider.  It  is  only  by  practising  virtue  that  you  can 
bring  yourself  to  delight  in  virtue. 

Suppose,  for  instance,  a  man  who  had  been  given  up 
to  selfish  gratification,  and  indifferent  to  the  welfare  of 
others,  should,  by  God's  grace,  be  brought  to  a  convic 
tion  of  the  sinfulness  of  such  a  life,  and  the  duty  of  benefi 
cence,  he  ought  at  once  to  set  about  the  work  of  doing 
good  to  his  fellow-creatures.  At  first,  and  for  some 
time,  he  will,  perhaps,  be  exercising  a  painful  self-denial 
in  giving  up  some  personal  gratifications  he  had  been 
accustomed  to,  or  in  parting  with  money  that  he  highly 
prizes,  for  the  relief  or  benefit  of  persons  he  does  not 
much  care  about,  and  in  taking  trouble  to  serve  them. 
He  will  only  enjoy  the  satisfaction  of  doing  his  duty. 
But,  by  degrees,  the  sentiments  of  compassion  and  be 
nevolence  will  be  cherished  in  him  by  beneficent  acts, 
and  will  become  stronger  and  stronger.  His  feelings 
will  in  time  overtake  his  reason.  He  will  come  to  feel 
an  interest,  more  and  more,  in  the  welfare  of  others, 
through  the  exertions  he  makes  for  their  benefit ;  till  at 
length  it  will  be  felt  as  a  greater  self-denial  to  withhold 
his  good  offices  than  to  perform  them.  His  selfish  in 
clinations  will  be  weakened  by  being  continually  re 
pressed,  and  will  at  length  become  odious  to  him.  He 
will  gradually  cease  to  "  give  grudgingly,  and  of  neces 
sity,"  and  will  become  the  "  cheerful  giver "  that  God 
loveth.  And  the  like  takes  place  in  the  formation  of 
other  virtuous  habits. 


CULTIVATION    OF   RIGHT   FEELINGS.  83 

§  6.  —  Right  Actions  must  be  what  are  done  on  Right 
Principles. 

But  then,  as  we  said  above,  it  is  necessary  that  good 
actions  should  be  done  from  a  good  principle.  For  it 
is  only  by  virtuous  conduct  that  a  virtuous  habit  can  be 
acquired ;  and  your  conduct  is  not  virtuous  in  you 
(though  it  may  be  beneficial  to  others),  if  you  do  not 
act  from  a  good  motive.  If  a  man  (as  was  observed  in 
Lesson  I.)  pays  his  debts  punctually,  and  is  fair  in  all 
his  dealings,  merely  through  fear  of  legal  penalties,  or  for 
the  sake  of  keeping  up  a  good  character,  that  he  may 
prosper  the  better  in  his  business,  there  is  no  virtue  in 
all  this  ;  nor  is  he  even  in  the  way  to  acquire  any  vir 
tue.  For,  though  it  is  true  that,  according  to  the  prov 
erb,  "  Honesty  is  the  best  policy,"  he  who  acts  alto 
gether  on  that  motive  alone  is  not  an  honest  man  ;  nor 
is  he  training  himself  to  become  such.  His  conduct,  in 
deed,  is  in  itself  honest ;  but  it  is  in  him  only  a  matter 
of  policy.  He  will  indeed  have  been  forming  a  habit, 
but  only  a  habit  of  prudence,  not  of  justice.  And,  ac 
cordingly,  he  will  be  very  likely  to  wrong  and  defraud 
his  neighbor  if  ever  he  has  an  opportunity  of  doing  so 
with  impunity. 

So,  also,  a  man  of  a  violent  and  revengeful  temper 
will  sometimes  exercise  great  self-control  from  motives 
of  prudence,  when  he  sees  that  he  could  not  vent  his  re 
sentment  without  danger  or  loss  to  himself;  such  self-re 
straint  as  this  does  not  at  all  tend  to  subdue  or  soften  his 
fierce  and  malignant  passions,  and  to  make  him  a  mild 
and  placable  character.  It  only  keeps  the  fire  smoulder 
ing  within,  instead  of  bursting  out  into  a  flame.  He  is  not 


84  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

quelling  the  desire  of  revenge,  but  only  repressing  it  till 
he  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  indulging  it  more  safely 
and  effectually.  And  accordingly,  he  will  have  to  ex 
ercise  the  same  painful  self-restraint  again  and  again  on 
every  fresh  occasion. 

But  to  exert  an  equal  self-restraint,  on  a  good  princi 
ple,  with  a  sincere  and  earnest  desire  to  subdue  revenge 
ful  feelings,  and  to  form  a  mild,  and  generous,  and  for 
giving  temper,  this  will  produce  quite  a  different  result. 
A  man  who  acts  thus  on  a  right  motive,  will  find  his 
task  easier  and  easier  on  each  occasion ;  because  he  will 
become  less  sensitive  to  provocations,  and  will  have  been 
forming  a  habit  of  not  merely  avoiding  any  outward  ex 
pression  of  anger  in  words  or  acts,  but  also  of  indulging 
no  resentful  feelings  within. 

And  the  like  takes  place  in  the  controlling  and  regu 
lating  of  all  our  feelings.  By  doing  what  is  good,  at 
once,  on  a  right  motive,  you  will  gradually  come  to  have 
good  sentiments  and  inclinations.  Your  conduct  will 
first  be,  in  each  particular  act,  virtuous  ;  and  this  will, 
in  time,  form  in  you  a  virtuous  character. 


LESSON    XI. 

FORMATION    OF   HABITS. 

§  1.  —  What  is  practised,  that  will  be  learnt. 

You  have  seen,  then,  that  it  is  by  the  practice  of 
what  is  good  on  a  right  principle,  that  good  habits  are 
formed.  Mere  reading,  and  listening,  and  talking  on 
the  subject,  will  no  more  make  you  a  virtuous  man,  if 
you  do  not  earnestly  set  yourself  to  practise,  through 
divine  help,  the  duties  you  know,  than  listening  to  a 
physician's  advice,  and  looking  at  his  medicine,  without 
taking  it,  would  restore  a  sick  man  to  health. 

The  patient  would,  in  this  case,  be  neither  the  better 
nor  the  worse  for  the  physician's  advice.  But  it  is  not 
so  with  one  who  has  been  accustomed  to  hear  moral  and 
religious  discourses  without  acting  upon  them.  He  will 
be  much  the  worse  for  them ;  because  he  will  have  be 
come  hardened  against  receiving  any  profitable  impres 
sion  from  discourses  that  might  strongly  impress  a  per 
son  hearing  them  for  the  first  time.  "  Familiarity," 
says  the  proverb,  "  breeds  contempt."  You  may  observe, 
in  travelling  on  a  railroad,  how  the  young  cattle  run 
away  in  terror  from  the  engine  ;  while  those  that  have 
often  seen  it  pass,  go  on  quietly  grazing,  and  do  not  re 
gard  it.  And  even  so,  one  who  has  been  accustomed 
to  be  a  "  hearer  of  the  word,  and  not  a  doer,"  will  ac- 
8 


86  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

quire   more   and   more  of  the   same   kind  of  "  famil 
iarity." 

It  might  seem  unnecessary  to  remind  any  one,  that 
"  what  you  practise,  that  you  will  learn."  But  so  it  is, 
that  many  persons  seem  to  expect  to  learn  one  thing  by 
practising  another  very  different  thing.  What  misleads 
them  is,  that  they  speak  loosely  of  being  accustomed  to 
such  and  such  a  thing,  and  forget  that  two  persons  may 
have  been  both  of  them  conversant  about  the  very  same 
objects,  and  yet  may  have  acquired  opposite  habits,  from 
being  accustomed  to  act  in  opposite  ways. 

Suppose,  for  instance,  that  there  is  in  your  neighbor 
hood  a  loud  bell  that  is  rung  very  early  every  morning 
to  call  the  laborers  in  some  great  manufactory.  At  first, 
and  for  some  time,  your  rest  will  be  broken  by  it ;  but 
if  you  accustom  yourself  to  lie  still,  and  try  to  compose 
yourself,  you  will  become  in  a  few  days  so  used  to  it, 
that  it  will  not  even  wake  you.  But  any  one  who 
makes  a  point  of  rising  immediately  at  the  call,  will  be 
come  so  used  to  it  in  the  opposite  way,  that  the  sound 
will  never  fail  to  rouse  him  from  the  deepest  sleep. 
Both  will  have  been  accustomed  to  the  same  bell,  but 
will  have  formed  opposite  habits  from  their  contrary 
modes  of  action. 

And  w6  may  see  the  same  thing  even  in  the  training 
of  brute  animals.  For  instance,  of  sporting  dogs,  there 
are  some,  such  as  the  greyhound,  that  are  trained  to  pur 
sue  hares ;  and  others  which  are  trained  to  stand  mo 
tionless  when  they  come  upon  a  hare,  even  though  they 
see  it  running  before  them.  Now  both  kinds  are  accus 
tomed  to  hares  ;  and  both  have  originally  the  same 
instincts ;  for  all  dogs  have  an  instinctive  tendency  to 


FORMATION    OF    HABITS.  87 

pursue  game.  But  the  one  kind  of  dog  has  always  been 
encouraged  to  run  after  a  hare,  and  the  other  has  always 
been  chastised  if  it  attempts  to  do  so,  and  has  been 
trained  to  stand  still. 

§  2. —  Opposite  Habits  acquired  among  the  same  Things. 

In  like  manner,  of  two  persons  who  have  been  accus 
tomed  to  the  sight  of  much  human  misery,  one,  who  has 
been  used  to  pass  it  by  without  any  effort  to  relieve  it, 
will  become  careless  and  hardened  to  such  spectacles ; 
while  another,  who  has  been  in  the  practice  of  relieving 
sufferers,  will  acquire  a  strong  habit  of  endeavoring  to 
afford  relief.  These  two  persons  will  both  have  been 
accustomed  to  the  same  objects,  but  will  have  acquired 
opposite  habits.  So,  also,  if  you  are  accustomed  to  talk 
about  virtue,  and  to  listen  to  discourses  on  the  subject, 
and  to  peruse,  for  instance,  such  Lessons  as  these  now 
before  you,  without  acting  on  what  you  say,  and  hear, 
and  read,  you  will  acquire  a  habit  of  talking,  etc.  with 
out  acting. 

"Whoever,  therefore,  is  not  the  better  for  such  studies, 
will  assuredly  be  the  worse  for  them.  And  if  you  are 
accustomed  to  read  the  Bible,  either  without  careful  at 
tention,  or  without  striving  to  bring  into  your  daily  life 
what  you  learn  from  it,  you  will  become  insensible  to 
what  it  teaches.  If,  on  the  contrary,  you  make  a  prac 
tice  of  applying  in  your  own  conduct  what  you  hear  and 
read,  you  will  acquire  a  practical  habit.  By  talking,  or 
listening,  or  reading,  you  will  learn  to  talk,  or  to  listen, 
or  to  read ;  by  attending,  you  will  learn  to  attend ;  and 
by  acting,  you  will  learn  to  act. 

A  person  who  has  acquired  a  habit  of  letting  all  his 


00  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

religious  and  virtuous  sentiments  evaporate  in  words, 
instead  of  being  brought  into  practice  in  his  life,  resem 
bles  the  "  barren  fig-tree,"  which  was  blasted  by  our 
Lord's  command,  to  furnish  an  instructive  emblem.  A 
tree  that  is  in  a  torpid  and  leafless  state  in  the  winter 
frost,  may  be  roused  into  vigorous  life  and  fvuitfulness 
by  the  summer  sun  and  warm  showers.  But  much 
more  hopeless  is  one  which  is  in  a  state  of  active  vege 
tation,  yet  bears  "no  fruit,  but  leaves  only."  Such 
a  tree  is  a  picture  of  the  man  who  is  not  ignorant  or 
thoughtless  respecting  morality  and  religion,  but  who 
lets  all  his  knowledge  and  his  thoughts  on  such  subjects 
be  wasted  in  barren  talk,  — "  leaves,"  without  fruit. 
Such  persons,  however,  sometimes  attract  more  notice, 
and  gain  more  admiration  from  the  inexperienced,  than 
those  who  talk  less,  and  do  more.  For  you  may  observe 
that,  in  a  steam-engine,  the  steam  makes  a  much  louder 
whizzing  when  it  is  let  off,  and  the  wheels  are  standing 
still,  than  when  it  is  quietly  acting  on  the  machinery. 

Again,  the  custom  of  being  present  at  public  worship, 
with  an  earnest  and  devout  attention  to  the  Service,  tends 
to  cherish  a  habit  of  devotion ;  but  the  oftener  a  person 
is  present  at  a  Service  which  he  does  not  attend  to,  the 
more  he  will  acquire  of  a  habit  of  inattention  to  that 
Service.  And  those  who  have  been  made  familiar  with 
the  words  of  Scripture,  without  being  accustomed  to  at 
tend  to  the  meaning,  or  to  bring  its  lessons  into  practice, 
will  acquire  a  habit  of  such  unprofitable  reading. 

Such  habits  are  often  acquired  in  childhood,  by  those 
who  have  been  habitually  brought  to  church  at  a  very 
early  age,  before  it  was  possible  for  them  to  take  part  in, 
or  to  understand,  what  was  said :  and  who  have  used  the 


FORMATION    OF   HABITS.  89 

Bible  as  a  mere  reading-book ;  or  have  been  accustomed 
to  read  it  as  if  there  was  some  virtue  in  the  mere  act  of 
perusal.  And  these  will  have,  in  after  life,  a  trouble 
some  and  difficult  task  in  unlearning  such  a  habit.  This 
difficulty  is  created  by  the  course  pursued  by  well-mean 
ing  friends,  whose  wish  is  to  accustom  them  early  to  pi 
ous  exercises,  and  who  overlook  that  obvious  truth,  that 
"  what  you  practise,  that  you  will  learn  " ;  and  that  you 
cannot  learn  one  thing  by  practising  another  quite  con 
trary  to  it. 

In  the  smaller  affairs  of  daily  life,  hardly  any  one 
ever  commits  such  blunders  as  are  often  made  in  the 
most  important  matters.  Every  one  would  see,  for  in 
stance  (to  recur  to  the  examples  given  just  above)  the 
absurdity  of  expecting  that  by  being  accustomed  to  hear 
a  bell,  and  to  lie  still  at  the  sound,  he  would  acquire  the 
habit  of  immediately  rising  whenever  it  rung. 

§3.  —  Progress  in  forming  a  Virtuous  Character. 

You  will  perceive,  then,  that  it  must  be  a  work  of 
some  labor  and  difficulty  to  form  good  moral  habits,  — 
especially  for  those  who  have  to  wrclearn  evil  habits. 
The  chief  part,  however,  of  this  difficulty  will  be  (as 
was  above  pointed  out)  in  the  beginning  of  a  right 
course.  Many  things  which  at  first  cost  much  and 
painful  self-denial,  will  afterwards,  when  the  habit  has 
been  formed,  be  practised  with  ease,  and  even  with 
pleasure. 

And  each  particular  act  will  then  become  less  an  act 

of  virtue,  while  at  the  same  time  the  character  of  virtue 

will  have  been  the  more  confirmed.     For  instance,  take 

the  case  of  a  youth  who  had  been  brought  up  among 

8* 


90  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

thieves,  and  had  been  accustomed  to  pilfering,  and  en 
couraged  in  it  by  his  vile  associates,  but  who  has  been 
received  (as  many  have  been)  into  one  of  the  ragged 
schools,  and  has  there  received  a  good  moral  and  relig 
ious  training.  He  will,  for  a  time,  have,  of  course,  a 
great  inward  struggle  against  his  former  habits.  Such 
a  youth  was  on  one  occasion  intrusted  by  the  master, 
by  the  way  of  a  trial,  with  some  gold  to  get  changed ; 
which  he  could  easily  have  carried  off.  When  he  hon 
estly  brought  the  change,  his  schoolfellows  were  over 
joyed  ;  and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  holy  an 
gels  rejoiced  with  them,  at  this  victory  over  evil  habits. 
(Luke  xv.  10.)  It  was  in  him  —  brought  up  as  he  had 
been  —  a  great  act  of  virtue  to  resist  the  temptation. 
But  to  a  person  who  had  been  always  honestly  brought 
up  (and  probably  to  that  same  youth,  a  few  years  later) 
there  would  not  be  even  any  temptation.  Such  a  one 
would  not  so  much  as  think  of  stealing ;  and  therefore 
it  would  not  be  accounted  an  act  of  virtue  in  him  to  re 
frain  from  it.  But  this  would  be,  not  from  his  being  a 
less  virtuous  character,  but,  on  the  contrary,  from  his 
being  fully  confirmed  in  that  character. 

§  4.  —  Virtue  a  Struggle  of  Good  against  Evil. 

And  so  it  is  with  other  habits.  Virtue,  therefore,  ap 
pears  to  consist  in  a  struggle,  and  a  successful  strug 
gle,  of  good  against  evil.  Moral  goodness  is  not  called 
virtue,  where  there  is  no  temptation  to  be  resisted,  — 
no  evil  tendency  or  weakness  to  be  overcome.  And 
accordingly,  while  we  attribute  to  the  Deity  the  high 
est  moral  perfection,  and  speak  of  his  goodness,  it  would 
shock  any  one  to  speak  of  Him  as  a  virtuous  Being. 


FORMATION    OF   HABITS.  91 

It  would  sound  degrading,  as  implying  some  evil  ten 
dency  to  be  resisted,  or  at  least  some  weakness  to  be 
overcome.  But  Man,  in  this  his  state  of  trial  and  disci 
pline,  can  never  so  completely  extinguish  all  faulty  ten 
dencies,  and  throw  off  all  infirmities,  as  to  be  exempt 
from  the  need  of  care,  and  vigilance,  and  self-control, 
and  firmness  against  temptation.  Man's  goodness,  in 
short,  must,  in  this  life,  consist  in  virtue. 

Accordingly,  our  estimate  of  the  virtue  displayed  in 
any  act,  depends  much  on  the  difficulty  to  be  sur 
mounted,  the  temptations  to  be  withstood,  etc.  If,  for 
instance,  any  one  decides  justly  in  some  cause  in  which 
he  has  no  interest,  and  where  both  the  parties  are  stran 
gers  to  him,  we  think  little  of  the  virtue  of  justice  dis 
played  by  him.  But  if  he  decides  fairly  in  some  case 
where  he  has  to  sacrifice  his  own  interests,  or  do  vio 
lence  to  his  feelings ;  or  if  he  reduces  himself  to  poverty 
by  giving  up  an  estate  to  one  whom  he  thinks  entitled 
to  it,  when  he  might  safely  and  without  discredit  have 
kept  it,  this  we  commend  as  a  virtuous  act.  And  thus 
the  person  commended  by  the  Psalmist  is,  "He  that 
sweareth  to  his  own  hurt,  and  changeth  not."  (Ps. 
xv.  4.) 

So  also  we  hardly  account  veracity  as  virtuous,  when 
a  man  tells  truth  in  some  case  where  there  is  nothing  to 
be  gained  by  falsehood,  but  only  when  by  telling  the 
truth  he  exposes  himself  to  loss,  or  danger,  or  discredit. 
And  the  like  in  other  cases.  And  hence  the  great  ad 
vantage  of  our  having  placed  before  us  the  example  of 
the  Apostles  and  other  early  disciples,  who  were,  as  they 
tell  us,  "  men  of  like  passions  "  with  us  ;  that  is,  subject 
to  the  same  infirmities  and  trials. 


92  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

§  5.  —  Imitation  of  our  Heavenly  Father. 

We  are,  indeed,  told  to  imitate  our  Heavenly  Father. 
But  then  it  is  only  the  divine  acts  that  Man  can  imitate. 
We  are  told  to  be  "  merciful  even  as  our  Father  in 
heaven  is  merciful,"  and  to  be  —  as  He  is — "kind  to 
the  unthankful  and  the  evil." 

The  greatest  difference  in  the  nature  of  two  Beings 
is  no  reason  against  the  acts  of  the  one  being  held  up 
as  an  example  to  the  other.  Indeed,  the  acts  of  some 
brute  animals  (such  as  the  ant  and  the  bee)  are  often 
referred  to  for  Man's  imitation  ;  though  no  one  supposes 
those  creatures  to  act  from  any  such  rational  calculation 
as  guides  the  conduct  of  an  industrious  and  prudent 
man.  And  indeed,  even  the  very  precept,  "  Thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself"  relates  only  to  acts,  not  to 
inward  feelings.  For  no  one  can  have  an  affection  for 
himself,  of  the  same  kind  with  what  we  feel  for  another 
person  whom  we  love.  Self-love  is  a  desire  for  our  own 
welfare,  which  no  rational  Being  can  be  destitute  of, 
whether  he-  is  or  is  not  of  an  affectionate  character. 
But  the  meaning  of  the  precept  is,  that  as  we  seek  for 
our  own  welfare,  as  an  end,  and  without  any  further  ob 
ject,  so  we  should,  in  like  manner,  seek  for  our  neigh 
bors'.  So  also  our  Lord,  in  the  parable  of  the  "  Unjust 
Steward,"  sets  before  us  for  imitation  an  example  of 
prudent  forethought ;  though  no  one  can  suppose  that  it 
was  meant  that  we  should  imitate  his  dishonesty,  or  act 
on  his  motives. 

But  in  the  case  of  the  Apostles,  we  can  imitate,  not 
merely  their  actions,  but  their  inward  dispositions  also, 
throughout.  We  see  them  resisting  strong  temptations, 


FORMATION    OF   HABITS.  93 

and  struggling  against  and  subduing  their  worldly  and  I 
ambitious  desires,  and  their  timidity,  and  their  feelings 
of  resentment ;  we  see  them  giving,  when  it  impover 
ished  themselves,  and  refusing  gifts  which  they  stood  in 
need  of,  and  facing  dangers  which  they  naturally  dread 
ed.  In  short,  we  see  them  practising  virtue.  And 
though  we  have  not  their  miraculous  powers,  there 
is  no  reason  for  thinking  that  we  are  less  required, 
or  less  enabled,  than  they  were,  to  practise  Christian 
virtue. 

As  for  their  miraculous  powers  of  healing,  etc.,  these 
were  given  them  for  the  advantage  of  others,  not  for 
their  own.  Miracles  were  necessary  as  a  proof  of  the  di 
vine  origin  of  the  Gospel.  But  these  superhuman  gifts 
neither  implied  that  the  possessors  were  good  Christians, 
nor  necessarily  made  them  so.  All  the  Apostles,  Judas 
Iscariot  among  the  rest,  wrought  miracles  during  our 
Lord's  abode  on  earth.  And  some  of  the  Corinthians 
abused  their  miraculous  powers  for  the  purposes  of  vain 
display,  and  made  them  a  subject  of  rivalry  and  conten 
tion.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  when  Paul  tells  the  Ro 
mans  (who  had  then  had  no  miraculous  gifts,  Rom.  i. 
11),  that,  "if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he 
is  none  of  his,"  (Rom.  viii.  9,)  and  when  he  says  to 
them,  "  As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they 
are  the  sons  of  God,"  it  is  plain  he  is  speaking  of  a  far 
different,  and  far  more  valuable  kind  of  spiritual  gift,  — 
the  moral  guidance  of  the  conscience,  and  improvement 
of  the  character.  And  this  is  what  is  equally  needed 
by  all  Christians  in  all  ages,  and  which  all  may  equally  . 
obtain. 

But  some  people  fall  into  the  mistake  (which  you 


94  LESSONS    ON    MOUALS. 

should  carefully  guard  against)  of  imagining  that  there 
is  something  virtuous  in  the  mere  barren  admiration  of 
some  eminently  virtuous  character,  and  deep  reverence 
for  it,  without  any  effort  to  imitate  it. 

Sometimes,  indeed,  a  man  will  even  flatter  himself 
that  there  is  a  laudably  modest  humility  in  not  aspiring 
to  the  same  high  moral  excellence  with  some  eminently 
virtuous  men  that  are  mentioned  in  history,  or  actually 
living  among  us.  And  yet  perhaps  you  may  hear  these 
spoken  of  as  men  of  exemplary  character  ;  though  it 
is  plain  no  one  can  be,  to  us,  exemplary,  unless  we  en 
deavor  to  follow  his  example.  The  more  we  admire 
any  virtuous  conduct,  if  we  do  not  strive  to  copy  it,  as  far 
as  is  suitable  to  our  situation,  the  more  we  condemn  our 
selves.  And  it  is  not  humble  modesty,  but  rather  pre 
sumptuous  confidence,  if  we  are  satisfied  without  doing 
our  utmost  to  attain  the  highest  degree  of  moral  excel 
lence  that  is  within*  our  reach. 


LESSON    XII. 

IMITATION    OF   JESUS. 

§  1.  —  Example  of  our  Saviour. 

As  for  the  imitation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  himself,  to 
which  we  are  exhorted  in  the  Scriptures,  that  is  some 
thing  intermediate  between  the  imitation  of  the  divine 
goodness  (spoken  of  above),  and  the  imitation  of  mere 
human  Beings.  So  far  forth  as  He  was  a  divine  per 
son,  we  can  imitate  only  his  acts ;  but  considered  as  to 
his  human  nature,  we  are  told,  "  Let  the  same  mind  be 
in  you  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus  "  ;  and  thereupon 
we  have  his  humility  and  obedience  held  up  for  our  imi 
tation.  And  again,  we  are  told  that  we  "  have  not  a 
high-priest  who  cannot  be  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our 
infirmities,  but  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are, 
yet  without  sin." 

Now,  though  of  course  He  had  'no  evil  propensities, 
we  should  remember,  that,  if  He  had  not  those  human 
feelings  and  inclinations  which  are  not  in  themselves 
evil,  He  could  not  have  been  "  tempted  \i.  e.  tried]  like 
as  we  are  "  ;  or  indeed  tempted  at  all. 

And  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  there  are  many  human 
feelings  which  become  evil  when  wrongly  indulged,  but 
which  are  not  so  when  properly  controlled.  For  in 
stance,  it  is  no  sin  for  one  who  is  fatigued  by  labor  of 


96  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

any  kind,  to  long  for  repose  ;  only,  he  would  be  wrong 
to  indulge  this  desire  when  duty  calls  on  him  to  rouse 
himself  to  exertion. 

So  also,  it  is  no  sin  for  any  one  to  be  glad  of  the  love 
and  approbation  of  his  friends  and  countrymen  ;  pro 
vided  he  does  not  sacrifice  duty  for  the  sake  of  their 
favor,  or  do  anything  on  purpose  to  gain  applause  for 
its  own  sake.  And  the  like  in  many  other  cases. 

§  2.  —  Jesus  had  Human  Feelings. 

There  is  no  reason,  therefore,  to  suppose  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  was  indifferent  to  the  good  opinion  of  his 
countrymen ;  which  He  might  have  obtained  by  falling 
in  with  their  wishes  and  expectations.  And  they  would 
have  welcomed  Him  with  open  arms,  if  He  would  have 
allowed  them  to  "  make  Him  a  king,"  to  deliver  them 
from  the  yoke  of  the  Romans,  and  found  a  triumphant 
and  splendid  temporal  empire.  Instead  of  this,  He  ex 
posed  himself,  by  disappointing  their  hopes,  to  their 
hatred  and  scorn,  to  insults  and  tortures,  and  a  most 
ignominious  as  well  as  cruel  death.* 

We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  He  did  not  feel  all 
this,  even  more  than  his  bodily  sufferings.  And,  accord 
ingly,  we  are  told  that  He  "  endured  the  cross,  despis 
ing  the  shame  ";  and  we  are  exhorted  to  "  consider  Him 
that  endured  such  contradiction  of  sinners  against  him 
self."  (Ileb.  xii.) 

Again,  if  any  one  should  feel  weariness  and  disgust  in 

laboring  long  and  painfully  at  the  task  of  instructing  ig- 

j  norant,  narrow-minded,  and  perverse  learners,  and  slow- 

*  See  Lectures  on  Good  and  Evil  Angels. 


IMITATION    OF   JESUS.  97 

ly  overcoming  their  prejudices  ;  this  would  be  no  sin,  , 
provided  he  did  not  shrink  from  the  task,  if  duty  im 
posed  it,  nor  suffer  any  impatience  to  break  out.  And 
when,  therefore,  we  see  our  blessed  Master  condescend 
ing  to  labor,  day  after  day,  and  year  after  year,  in  grad 
ually  enlightening  the  minds  of  humble  fishermen  and 
peasants,  and  in  correcting  their  errors,  we  have  here 
an  example,  in  all  respects  for  our  imitation,  of  patient 
and  humble  assiduity. 

Again,  there  is  nothing  sinful  in  feeling  displeased 
with  persons  who  manifest  stubborn  ingratitude,  and  re 
pay  kindness  with  bitter  insult  and  cruel  persecution. 
The  sin  would  be  in  allowing  ourselves  to  indulge  re 
vengeful  feelings  ;  "  rendering  evil  for  evil,  railing  for 
railing."  And  accordingly,  the  Apostle  Peter  holds  up 
to  us  the  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus  in  this  point  also, 
who  "  did  no  violence ;  who,  when  He  was  reviled,  re 
viled  not  again  ;  when  He  suffered,  He  threatened 
not " ;  and  who,  as  we  read  in  the  Evangelists,  prayed 
for  his  murderers. 

These  points  are  here  noticed  merely  as  specimens. 
There  are  many  others  which  every  attentive  reader  of 
the  Gospels  cannot  fail  to  be  struck  with,  in  which  the 
excellences  of  our  Lord's  character  as  a  man  plainly 
appear,  and  are  suitable  for  our  imitation. 

§  3.  —  The  Nature  of  the  Lord  Jesus  mysterious. 

But  some  persons,  though  far  from  indifferent  to  the 
subject  of  religion,  do  not  pay  sufficient  attention  to  that 
important  portion  of  it  which  is  now  before  us,  —  the 
example  of  Jesus  as  set  forth  in  Scripture  for  our  imi 
tation.  Instead  of  this,  they  have  occupied  themselves  t 
9 


98  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

.  in  discussing  questions  as  to  several  mysterious  points 
on  which  Scripture  reveals  nothing.  In  what  manner 
the  divine  nature  was  united  with  the  human  in  the  per 
son  of  our  Saviour,  —  and  what  was  the  precise  charac 
ter  of  his  inward  feelings,  —  all  these  and  other  such 
questions  are  what  the  Sacred  Writers  have  left  unex 
plained.  And  we  cannot  doubt  that,  if  an  explanation  of 
these  had  been  possible,  and  needful  for  us,  it  would 
have  been  given.  Yet  these  are  questions  which  some 
persons  presume  freely  to  discuss  ;  as  if  the  speculations 
of  human  reason  could  enlighten  us  on  matters  not  re 
vealed  to  the  Apostles  ;  or  at  least  not  revealed  by  them. 
And  such  rash  speculations  have  often  drawn  off  men's 
attention  from  what  is  plainly  set  forth  in  Scripture  for 
our  practical  benefit. 

How  the  human  body  and  mind  act  on  each  other,  we 
cannot  explain  or  understand ;  but  we  know  that  they 
do ;  and  we  can  make  a  practical  use  of  that  knowledge. 
We  know  not  the  nature  of  the  sun  ;  we  cannot  explain 
how  it  is  that  it  continues  to  throw  out  light  and  heat 
without  being,  as  a  candle  is,  consumed  in  so  doing :  but 
we  can  see  by  its  light,  and  enjoy  its  warmth. 

And  even  so,  we  can  benefit  by  the  teaching  and  the 
example  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  though  we  have  a  very 
dim  and  imperfect  notion  of  his  real  nature.  To  turn 
aside  from  a  practical  benefit  that  is  placed  within  our 
reach,  and  occupy  ourselves  instead  with  speculative  in 
quiries  about  matters  beyond  our  reach,  would  be  like 
the  folly  of  our  first  parents,  who,  when  permitted  to 
"  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,"  turned  to  the  forbidden  "  tree  of 
knoivledge." 

Some  people,  again,  allow  their  veneration  for  Christ 


IMITATION    OP   JESUS.  99 

and  his  Apostles  to  vent  itself  on  tangible  objects,  such  fl 
as  "  relics,"  or  on  supposed  holy  places,  to  which  they 
make  pilgrimages.  We  are  told  that  our  divine  Master 
left  us  an  "  example  that  we  should  follow  his  steps," 
instead  of  which  they  go  to  Jerusalem  to  tread  literally 
on  the  ground  He  trod.  Instead  of  "  putting  on  Christ," 
as  the  Apostle  exhorts  us,  they  venerate  a  tunic  He  is 
supposed  to  have  worn,  or  bits  of  wood  of  the  supposed 
"true  cross";  or  procure  a  bottle  of  water  from  the 
river  Jordan,  for  baptizing  their  children.  Instead  of 
being  "  followers  of  the  Apostles,  even  as  they  were  of 
Christ,"  they  bow  down  before  fragments  of  their  bones, 
or  locks  of  their  hair,  etc. 

All  this  is  as  if  some  one,  when  shown  a  tree  bearing 
delicious  and  wholesome  and  nourishing  fruit,  should 
neglect  the  fruit,  and  try  to  feed  on  the  leaves  or  bark ; 
or  as  if,  when  he  had  received  a  package  of  most  valu 
able  goods,  he  should  lay  them  by,  and  make  no  use  of 
them,  but  wear  with  much  pride  the  canvas  wrapper  in 
which  they  were  packed  up. 

§  4.  —  Jesus  a  Faultless  Model. 

The  great  advantage  of  our  Lord's  example,  as  com 
pared  with  any  description  of  an  imaginary  person  — 
an  ideal  perfect  man  —  is  its  reality.  We  know  that 
He  did  actually  live  on  this  earth,  and  that  what  is  re 
corded  of  Him  is  not  fiction  or  supposition,  but  what  was 
really  said  and  done. 

But  again ;  his  example  has  the  advantage  over  those 
of  all  other  actually  existing  persons,  of  being  absolutely 
perfect.  The  greatest,  and  noblest,  and  purest  of  all 
merely  human  characters  have  their  imperfections  ;  and 


100  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

these  an  imitator  might  be  led  into,  through  his  admira 
tion  of  their  excellence. 

And  it  may  be  observed,  by  the  way,  that  this  is  a 
mistake  some  people  may  be  in  danger  of,  in  reference  to 
the  characters  in  the  Old  Testament  history.  They  may 
suppose  that  every  person  mentioned  with  any  degree  of 
commendation,  and  especially  those  who  were  endowed 
with  any  prophetical  powers,  or  received  any  other  mark 
of  divine  favor,  are  to  be  looked  on  as  perfect  models,  — 
held  up  for  our  imitation  throughout ;  though  many  of 
them  were  undoubtedly  guilty  of  faults  deserving  much 
censure,  even  considering  the  rude  age  in  which  they 
lived.  And  all  of  them  did  live  in  such  a  half-civilized, 
half-barbarian  state  of  society,  as  requires  great  allow 
ances  to  be  made  for  those  brought  up  in  it.  Their 
comparatively  gross  and  uncultivated  intellectual  and 
moral  condition  is  what  our  Lord  alludes  to  in  his  ex 
pression  "  hardness  of  heart."  (Matt.  xix.  8.) 

Even  the  best,  however,  of  these  men,  are  not  to  be 
imitated  as  if  they  could  be  reckoned  faultless.  But  in 
imitating  our  divine  Master,  whatever  errors  we  may 
fall  into  by  our  own  injudicious  imitation,  we  cannot  be 
led  into  any,  by  imperfections  in  the  model  itself. 

And  in  studying  the  life  of  our  Lord,  in  conjunction 
with  that  of  the  earliest  disciples,  we  have  the  advan 
tage  of  seeing  not  only  a  perfect  model,  but  also  an  ex 
ample  of  the  copying  of  that  model.  We  not  only  see 
the  original  pattern,  but  are  also  shown  how  it  was  first 
imitated.  "Be  ye  followers,"  says  the  Apostle  Paul, 
"  of  me,  even  as  I  am  of  Christ  Jesus."  We  thus  have, 
as  it  were,  before  us,  not  only  a  perfect  human  jiyure, 
but  also  a  statue  made  from  it  by  a  first-rate  sculptor. 
t 


IMITATION    OF   JESUS.  101 

§  5.  —  Danger  of  Erroneous  Imitation. 

But,  as  has  just  been  said,  it  is  possible  to  fall  into 
mistakes  by  our  own  injudicious  and  improper  imitation 
of  a  faultless  example,  or  indeed  of  any  example.  If 
some  one's  conduct  is  perfectly  right  for  him,  or  under 
his  circumstances,  we  may  be  altogether  wrong  in  copy 
ing  it  if  we  are  placed  in  quite  different  circumstances. 

If  a  king,  for  instance,  or  any  one  else  in  high  au 
thority,  conducts  himself  in  the  best  possible  manner,  it 
would  be  absurd,  and  a  criminal  usurpation,  for  a  pri 
vate  citizen  to  pretend  to  follow  his  example  by  assum 
ing  regal  state  and  power.  And  so  it  would  be,  if  a 
pupil  were  to  take  upon  him  the  office  of  a  master,  and 
pretend  to  give  instruction  in  the  school  where  he  is 
placed  to  receive  it.  The  way  in  which  a  subject  should 
follow  the  example  of  a  good  king,  is  by  cpnducting  him 
self  as  a  good  subject ;  and  then  each  of  them  alike  will 
be  acting  in  a  manner  suitable  to  his  own  position. 

Accordingly,  there  are  many  parts  of  our  Lord's  con 
duct  which  would  have  been  unsuitable  for  the  Apostles 
to  imitate;  and  many  parts,  both  of  his  conduct  and 
theirs,  that  would  be  unsuitable  for  us. 

For  instance,  we  read  "  that  He  taught  as  one  having 
authority,  and  not  as  the  scribes  " ;  that  is,  instead  of 
confining  himself  to  the  expounding  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  and  reasoning  upon  that,  (which  was  the  practice, 
and  the  proper  office  of  the  scribes,)  He  spoke  as  hav 
ing  a  direct  commission  from  Heaven,  saying,  "  /  say 
unto  you  "  so  and  so ;  and  appealing  not  to  arguments, 
but  to  the  miracles  He  wrought,  as  a  proof  of  his  com 
ing  from  God. 

9* 


102  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

And  again,  you  should  observe  that  lie  does  not  use 
the  language  of  the  prophets,  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  say,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  each  of  them  having 
been  charged  with  certain  specific  messages ;  but  God 
gave  not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  Him.  He  came 
not  only  with  authority,  but  with  full,  unlimited  au 
thority  ;  and  his  language  was,  "  I  say  unto  you." 

Now,  of  course  it  would  be  profane  as  well  as  absurd 
for  any  one  of  us  to  teach  as  "  having  authority  " ;  that 
is,  as  demanding  assent  and  submission  to  what  we  say, 
because  we  say  it. 


LESSON    XIII. 

IMITATION    OF   THE   APOSTLES. 

§  1.  —  How  far  the  Apostles  are  to  be  imitated. 

As  for  the  imitation  by  the  Apostles  of  their  divine 
Master,  and  again  our  imitation  of  them,  you  must  re 
member  that  they  were  in  some  respects  in  a  different 
position,  both  from  Him,  and  again  from  us.  They 
spoke  and  acted  as  his  messengers,  (which  is  the  mean 
ing  of  the  title  "  Apostles,")  and  commissioned  by  Him 
as  ambassadors.  They  accordingly  kept  closely  to  the 
instructions  they  received  from  Him,  either  by  word  of 
mouth,  or  by  the  inspiration  of  his  Spirit.  Thus,  we 
find  Paul  saying  that  on  one  point  "  he  has  no  com 
mandment  from  the  Lord" ;  and  again,  in  another  place, 
that  it  is  not  he  that  gives  the  commandment,  but  "  the 
Lord."  And  the  reality  of  this  their  commission  from 
Christ,  they  prove  by  the  miracles  done  in  his  name, 
which  they  expressly  call  the  "  signs  of  an  Apostle." 

Now,  any  one  among  us  may  indeed  be  allowed  to 
bring  arguments  to  convince  the  Reason,  that  so  and  so 
is  the  meaning  of  a  certain  passage  of  Scripture,  or  that 
his  views  on  some  point  are  right.  But  if,  instead  of 
this,  he  demands  assent  to  what  he  says,  on  his  bare 
word,  declaring  that  he  is  inspired  [or  "moved"]  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  to  say  it,  you  may  fairly  ask 


104  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

him  to  prove  this    by   the    display   of  some   sensible 
miracle. 

This  demand  was  made  —  and  justly  made  —  of  Jesus 
and  his  Apostles  ;  and  they  did  display  miraculous  pow 
ers.  But  any  one  who  thus  pretends  to  inspiration,  and 
yet  fails  to  give  this  necessary  proof  of  it,  is  imitating 
the  Apostles  only  in  the  same  way  in  which  a  man 
might  be  said  to  imitate  a  real  ambassador  from  some 
king,  by  pretending  to  have  a  commission  from  him, 
when  he  had  no  credentials  to  produce. 

§  2.  —  How  far  the  Example  of  our  Lord  is  not  to 
be  followed. 

Again,  our  Lord  spake  to  the  multitudes  in  parables, 
which  most  of  them  did  not  understand,  and  reserved 
the  explanation  of  "  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven "  for  his  disciples.  And  this  was,  in  his  case, 
quite  reasonable  ;  since  his  disciples  were  —  all  who 
chose  to  be  so  —  all  who  were  convinced  by  his 
"  mighty  works  "  that  He  was  a  real  prophet,  and  that 
therefore  they  were  bound  to  place  themselves  under 
his  instruction,  even  before  they  understood  it  "  We 
know,"  says  Nicodemus,  "  that  thou  art  a  teacher  sent 
from  God ;  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  which  thou 
doest,  except  God  be  with  him." 

All  that  were  thus  candid  and  docile  became  his  dis 
ciples,  and  received  the  explanations  they  needed ; 
while  those  who  "  were  without "  the  circle  of  his  dis 
ciples,  and  came  to  listen  out  of  idle  curiosity,  or  with 
design  to  watch  for  occasions  of  accusations  against  him, 
were  left  uninstructed.  For  "  he  that  hath,"  said  Jesus, 
"  to  him  shall  be  given  ;  and  lie  that  hath  not,  from 
him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hath." 


IMITATION    OF    THE    APOSTLES.  105 

The  Apostles,  however,  by  their  Master's  direction, 
spoke  not  in  parables,  but  declared  openly  and  plainly 
to  all,  what  they  were  commissioned  to  teach.  "  If  our 
gospel  be  hid,"  says  Paul,  "  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are 
lost," —  [•'  in  the  way  to  be  lost,"  according  to  the  origi 
nal,]  —  "  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  " ; 
and  again,  "  I  am  pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men  ;  for  I 
have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel  of 
God."  And  this  was  in  conformity  with  our  Lord's  in 
junction,  "  What  I  have  told  you  in  secret,  that  preach 
ye  openly  ;  and  what  ye  have  heard  in  the  ear  in  clos 
ets,  that  proclaim  ye  upon  the  house-tops." 

§  3.  —  False  Imitation  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

It  would  be  doubly  absurd,  therefore,  for  any  re 
ligious  or  moral  teacher  among  us  to  think  of  imitating 
our  Lord's  example  by  delivering  obscure  precepts  to 
the  people,  and  offering  to  give  explanations  of  them 
to  those  who  would  enroll  themselves  as  his  disciples. 
"  Why  should  we,"  they  might  answer,  "  become  your 
disciples  ?  We  have  no  means  of  judging  whether  what 
.you  teach  is  right  or  wrong,  till  we  understand  what  it 
is,  unless  you  give,  like  Jesus,  a  miraculous  proof  of  a 
divine  commission."  For  He  said,  "  If  I  had  not  done 
among  them  the  works  which  none  other  man  did,  they 
had  not  had  sin." 

But  if  any  one  pretends  to  infallibility  without  giving 
such  proofs  of  it,  the  sin  would  be,  not  in  denying  his 
claim,  but  in  admitting  it.  His  imitation  of  our  Lord 
is  like  the  imitation  of  a  true  coin  by  a  piece  of  base 
metal,  which  will  not  stand  a  trial  by  the  touchstone. 

You  see,  therefore,  that  men  may  fall  into  grievous 


106  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

mistakes  by  endeavoring,  or  pretending,  to  follow  some 
one's  example,  while  they  do  what  is  for  him  quite  right, 
but  for  them,  who  are  in  a  different  situation,  quite 


§  4.  —  Mistakes  as  to  the  Conduct  of  the  Apostles. 

But  besides  the  danger  of  this  kind  of  error,  there  is 
also  another  to  be  guarded  against.  For  some  people 
make  mistakes  as  to  what  the  conduct  really  is,  of  the 
model  they  wish  to  copy ;  and  therefore  imitate  it  im 
properly,  even  in  points  wherein  it  ought  to  be  followed 
exactly. 

For  instance,  we  find  the  Apostles  and  other  early 
disciples  submitting  to  stripes  and  imprisonments,  and 
encountering  hunger  and  thirst,  and  dangers  and  perse 
cutions  of  every  kind,  in  their  Master's  cause,  and  while 
engaged  in  preaching  his  Gospel  (2  Cor.  vi.  4-10). 
And  we  admire,  very  justly,  the  patient  fortitude  they 
displayed.  And  in  all  cases,  the  more  hardships  and 
privations  and  sufferings  of  any  kind  a  man  encounters 
in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  the  more  we  admire  his 
virtue.  Now  the  admiration  of  such  virtuous  fortitude 
has  led  many  persons,  in  various  ages  and  countries,  to 
imagine  that  there  is  something  virtuous  in  self-inflicted 
sufferings,  that  have  no  further  object ;  and  that  to  ex 
pose  one's  self  to  various  hardships  and  privations,  mere 
ly  as  a  display  of  fortitude,  is  something  in  itself  accept 
able  to  the  Deity. 

Among  the  Hindoo  idolaters,  for  instance,  there  are 
many  devotees  who  plunge  iron  hooks  into  their  flesh, 
and  practise  a  variety  of  even  more  extravagant  pen 
ances,  which  they  imagine  to  be  an  acceptable  service  to 


IMITATION    OF   THE   APOSTLES.  107 

the  gods  they  worship.  If  we  go  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  globe,  we  find  tribes  of  American  Indians  practising 
like  cruelties  on  themselves.  And  in  many  Churches 
professing  to  be  Christian,  persons  who  aspire  to  be 
"saints"  place  great  part  of  their  service  of  God  in 
scourging  or  half-starving  themselves,  lying  on  beds  of 
rugged  stones,  shutting  themselves  up  in  uncomfortable 
cloisters,  wearing  filthy  garments,  and  in  various  other 
ways  inflicting  self-torture ;  as  believing  the  endurance 
of  suffering  for  its  own  sake,  and  without  any  further 
object,  to  be  a  Christian  virtue, 

Now  all  this  is  as  great  an  error  as  if  any  one  should 
think  to  attain  the  character  of  a  good  soldier  by  wan 
tonly  shooting  or  stabbing  himself.  We  admire,  and 
with  reason,  the  valor  of  a  soldier  who  boldly  mounts 
a  breach  amidst  a  shower  of  bullets,  or  rushes  on  a  line 
of  bayonets,  at  the  command  of  his  leader,  in  the  ser 
vice  of  his  country.  But  this  is  because  he  encounters 
the  danger  in  doing  his  duty,  and  could  not  avoid  the 
danger,  except  by  shrinking  from  duty.  But  to  expose 
himself  to  wounds  or  death  for  no  object^  is  far  from 
being  a  soldier's  duty. 

§  5.  —  TJie  Apostles  never  tortured  Themselves. 

And  such  self-torturers  as  we  have  been  speaking  of 
are  equally  far  from  really  imitating  the  conduct  of  the 
Apostles.  For  they  never  exposed  themselves  to  perse 
cution,  or  suffering  of  any  kind,  needlessly  and  wanton 
ly  ;  though  there  was  none  that  they  shrunk  from,  in 
the  discharge  of  their  duty.  They  submitted  to  cruel 
scourgings,  rather  than  forego  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel ;  but  they  never  scourged  themselves.  Paul 


108  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

himself  repeatedly  pleaded  his  privilege  as  a  "  Roman 
citizen,"  to  save  himself  from  illegal  scourging.  And 
when  shipwrecked  on  the  island  of  Melita,  he  took  all 
the  careful  precautions  for  safety,  that  the  most  tim 
orous  lover  of  life  could  have  done ;  ready  as  he  was 
"  not  only  to  be  bound,  but  also  to  die,  for  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus."  All  this  is  what  the  Apostles  under 
stood,  and  doubtless  rightly  understood,  by  their  Mas 
ter's  declaration,  "  If  any  man  will  be  my  disciple,  let 
him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow 
me " ;  his  cross,  —  that  which  is  laid  upon  him  by  his 
Christian  duty,  —  not  one  of  his  own  imposing 

And  the  "  mortification "  to  which  Paul  exhorts  his 
converts,  is  not  self-torture  of  any  kind,  or  at  all  what 
the  word  "mortification"  means,  in  its  ordinary  use 
among  us  now ;  but  the  putting  to  death  (that  is  the  ex 
act  sense  of  the  word  in  the  original)  of  evil  habits  and 
desires.  "  Mortify,"  says  he,  "  your  members  which  are 
upon  the  earth,  fornication,  uncleanness,  inordinate  af 
fection,  and  covetousness  " ;  and  "  they  that  are  Christ's, 
have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts." 

But  as  for  hair-shirts,  and  beds  of  flints,  and  all  kinds 
of  gratuitous  suffering  purposely  undergone  for  its  own 
sake,  there  is  nothing,  either  in  the  teaching  or  the  ex 
amples  of  the  Apostles,  to  show  that  they  practised  or 
recommended,  or  at  all  approved,  of  anything  of  the 
kind. 

§  6.  —  Goods  of  Christians  not  Common. 

Again,  there  have  been  persons  who  have  imagined 
that  Christians  ought  not  to  possess  any  private  prop 
erty,  but  to  "  have  all  things  common  "  ;  as  a  supposed 


IMITATION    OF    THE    APOSTLES.  109 

imitation  of  what  is  recorded  (in  Acts)  of  the  earliest 
"  believers." 

But  it  is  quite  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  any  such 
system  was  established  as  a  general  rule  for  Christians, 
even  at  the  very  first.  This  is  plain  from  the  words  of 
Peter  to  Ananias ;  whose  sin  the  Apostle  declares  con 
sisted,  not  in  retaining  his  property,  but  in  "  lying  to  the 
Holy  Ghost."  As  for  the  land,  that,  he  reminds  him, 
and  the  price  of  it,  has  been  "  his  own,"  and  "  in  his  own 
power  " ;  which  clearly  shows  that  he  was  not  required 
to  give  it  up  on  becoming  a  disciple. 

The  case,  no  doubt,  was  this :  that  our  Lord's  imme 
diate  attendants  while  He  was  on  earth,  and  also  those 
who  after  his  departure  were  engaged  in  the  ministry, 
were  required  to  throw  any  property  they  might  possess 
into  a  common  stock,  from  which  all  so  engaged  were 
maintained,  and  the  poor  relieved  out  of  the  surplus. 
And  it  need  not  be  wondered  at,  —  considering  the  im 
mense  work  then  to  be  begun,  of  preaching  the  Gospel 
to  many  millions,  —  that  all  the  very  earliest  of  the  con 
verts  should  have  been  needed,  and  all  ready,  to  take 
part  in  this  ministry. 

Ananias  and  his  wife  seem  to  have  designed  to  par 
take  of  this  common  stock,  while  they  fraudulently  re 
tained  a  portion  of  private  property ;  the  resigning  of 
which  was  a  condition,  not  of  their  embracing  Chris 
tianity,  but  of  their  being  entitled  to  maintenance  out 
of  the  common  stock. 

But  it  is  quite  clear  that  no  such  system  as  a  general 

community   of  goods    among   Christians    ever  existed. 

This  is  proved,  not  only  by  what  was  said  to  Ananias, 

but  also  by  the  "  charge  "  given  to  "  them  who  are  rich 

10 


110  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

in  this  world,  to  be  ready  to  give,  and  glad  to  distrib 
ute  " ;  and  from  many  other  passages  of  Scripture : 
among  others,  one  already  mentioned,  "  Let  him  that 
stole,  steal  no  more ;  but  rather  let  him  labor,  that  he 
may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth." 

Those  therefore  who  would  forbid  men's  possessing 
private  property,  would  not  be  really  following  the  ex 
ample  of  the  Apostles. 

These  instances  may  serve  as  specimens,  to  show 
what  errors  men  may  commit  by  inconsiderately  and 
unwisely  attempting  to  imitate  the  best  examples. 


LESSON    XIV. 

SINGLENESS    OF    VIRTUE. 

§  1.  —  Various  Treatises  on  Morals. 
are  severaL-teeatises  on  Morale,  by  various 


writers,  in  several  languages  ;  hv  which  you  will  find  an 
enumeration  of  what  are  called  the  different  virtues; 
such  as  ibrtitude,  temperance,  justice,  .liberality,  gentle 
ness,  etc.  And  there  is  much  that  may  be  studied  with 
profit  in  some  of  these  treatises.  ButJa.  studying  Ihem 
you  must  be  very  careful  to  avoid  the  mistake  of  srap- 
,.posing  these  virtues  to  be  so  many  dt-stinct  habits,  intle- 
other,  like  the  several  different  sciences 


and  arts. 

TQini.  is  likp.Iy  to  tend  to  this  mistake  is, 
like  the  several  sciences  and  arts,  cpnverA 


ferent  kinds  o£.JJu&&£*  As  Arithmetic,  for  instance,  re 
lates  to  numbers,  and  Grammar  to  language,  and  Music 
to  certain  sounds,  etc.,  which  are  things  of  quite  different 
kinds;  so,  ^ortitiulc  is  .concerned  about  dangera-  and 
pains,  and  Liberality,  about  money  and  other  property, 

^andTemperance,  aboiU  sensual  indulgences,.  etc.  And 
hence  a  person  might  fall.,  into  the  mistake  of  consider- 
"JogjeiicTi  virtue  to  be  a  habit  as  distinct  from  the  rest, 

jind  unconneefejfl  ^flfr  *^«™  as  Music,  for  instance, 
from  Grammar  or  Mathematics. 


112  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

A  man  may,  we  know,  be  a  mathematician  without 
being  a  classical  scholar  ;  or  he  may  be  a  painter  with 
out  understanding  music  ;  and  so  of  the  rest.  And  those 
who  do  possess  a  knowledge  of  several  different  arts  or 
sciences,  will  usually  have  learnt  them  from  so  many 
different  teachers.  But.itJ_s.jQQt-so  with  ^diat^u^-^alled 
the  different  moral  .  habits.  These, 


about  different  kinds  of  things,  are,  -property,—  o»ly 
branches  of  the  one  habit  of  virtue>-whiek-  4s,  as  has 
been  above  explained,  the  habit  of  doing  whatever  is 
whole  conduct  and  character  by 


an  enlightened  Conscience,  and  keeping  every,  part  of 
our  nature  in  subjection  to  that. 

§  2.  —  Virtues  not  distinct,  like  the  Arts. 

When  we  apply  the  word  "art"  to  Agriculture,  for 
instance,  and  to  Navigation,  and  to  Architecture,  etc., 
we  are  only  using  that  term  to  denote  a  class  which 
comprehends  several  things  of  different  kinds,  each  of 
which  may  be  properly  called  "  an  art,"  and  is  inde 
pendent  of  the  rest.  But  we.ought  4aotrs&'i«tly--&peak- 
t  .temperance,  for  instance,  k  "tg  -virtue  "  ; 
uth,  apart  of  virtue  :  it  consists  in  ptrrfbTrning 
of  our  duty  ;  and  duty  extends  to  the  proper 
regulation  of  our  actions  and  inclinations  throughout  ;  -irr 
-sta't,  4o  the  whole  character. 

As  for  the  various  arts  and  sciences,  they  not  only 
are  conversant  about  different  kinds  of  things,  but-they 
depend  on  diffcrcnJL.  faculties  in  the  mind  ;  rmd  thvs  it  it» 
..that  makes  them  quite  distinct  kud  ^de])emlejiLflLeach 
(.[her.  The  [tower,  for  instance,  by  which  a  man  cal 
culates,  and  that  by  which  he  learns  a  language,  and 


SINGLENESS    OP   VIRTUE.  113 

that  by  which  he  constructs  a  machine,  are  quite  dis 
tinct.  You  may,  if  you  will,  apply  the  one  word  "  un 
derstanding  "  or  "  intellect  "  to  every  one  of  these  facul 
ties  ;  but  this  would  be  only  applying  one  name  to 
several  different  kinds  of  powers.  In  like  manner,  the 
one  word  "  sense  "  may  be  applied  to  hearing,  sight,  and 
smell  ;  but  they  are  quite  distinct  senses  ;  and  we  could 
not  use  the  eyes  for  hearing,  or  the  ears  for  seeing.  But 
3  r»ot  fifivprn1  ;  nn^  we  are  bonnd 


el£.?  different  as  these  are  from  each  other,  under  the 
one_cpntrol,  of  that  one  which  we  have  called  con 
science. 

§  3.  —  Apparent,  but  not  Real  Virtues. 
But  what  helps  to  mislead  people  us  to  this  point  i&, 


quite  nnfnnnrctH   with   ftnrh  nthfr 
man  who  .ia_aQbM>  from-^U^g^cot»¥»> 


ance  would  bring  sickness,  im 

appear  to  be  practising  the  virtue  of  remp 


be  a  cheat,  and  a  liar,  etc.  He  may,  per 
haps,  be  a  member  of  what  is  called  a  "  Temperance 
Society,"  the  rule  of  which  binds  a  man  as  to  one  point 
only;  and  he  may  never  think  at  all  of  that  society 
called  a  "  Christian  Church,"  the  members  of  which  are 
bound  to  "fight  manfully  under  the  banner  of  Christ 
crucified  against  sin  "  ;  and  which,  accordingly,  is  both  a 
"  Temperance  Society,"  and  also  an  "  Honesty  Society," 
and  a  "Veracity  Society,"  and  a  "Benevolence  So 
ciety,"  etc. 

Or,  again,  take  the  instance  of  courage  ;  a  man  of  con- 
10* 


114  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

stitutional  intrepidity  and  firmness,  with  a  great  desire 
of  glory,  and  perhaps  a  strong  attachment  to  his  country, 
will  be  likely  to  make  a  good  soldier,  though  he  may  be 
covetous,  and  cruel,  and  tainted  with  many  other  vices. 
And  accordingly  the  most  formidable  armies  have  been 
often  made  up  of  men  whom  no  one  would  call  virtuous 
characters.  But  the  courage  of  such  a  man  is  only  an 
apparent,  not  a  real  virtue.  For  virtue  consists  in  doin^ 
one's  duly,  because  it  is  duty,  and  on  a  right  principle, — 
a  principle  \\Lidi  extends  to  all  points  of  duty  alike. 
A  man  is  rightly  called  "  an  artist "  who  is  master  of 
even  any  one  art,  though  he  may  be  ignorant  of  the 
rest.  Dui  nu  unei  is-a-good.  man  who  does  uol  strive 
ta -dflL-wLat.  is  -right?  -and  abstain  from  what  is  wrong, 
throughout. 

§  4.  —  The  Sacred   Writers,  and  the  Heathen  Philoso 
phers,  agree  on  the  Oneness  of  Virtue. 

And  this  is  in  conformity  with  what  the  Apostle 
.James  says:  "Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law, 
yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all.  JEor.  that 
Jaw  which  said,*  Do  not  commit  adultery,  said  also,  Do 
jaot  kill.  y^vJOhoii-  commit  jro^adulter-yy-yet  if  thtm 
.kill,-  thou  art  become  a  transgressor .of-the  4aw."  (James 
ii.  10,  11.)  Undoes  not  mean  that  a  gingte  sin  is  as 
bad  asjmany,  or jthat  alj_  sins  jire  equal.  Nor  can  it  be 
supposed  that,  when  our  Lord  bids  us  "  be  perfect,"  £sr 
lather,  according  to  the  original,  "complete,")  "even-as 
our  Ileavenly  Father  is  perfect,"  He  means  that  nothing 
short  of  god-like,  sinless  goodness  would  be  accepted. 

*  This  is  the  marginal  reading  of  our  Bibles. 


SINGLENESS    OF    VIRTUE.  115 


But  He  andjii?  Apm-t1"g  """^"t  nrt^y,  that  a  mnr> 


on  a  right  principle,  according  to  the  best  of  his  own 
mojill  jndgmonti  nnrl  diirrrtinnj  (wkat-James  calk.  the 
".perfect^  law  of  liberty,")  will  not  pass  over  altogether, 
jmd  wilfully  neglect^  amc-  port  ion  of  fluty  •  fjjn^f  t.hp.  snmp 
principle  extends  to  _the  \v  ;holej  jaiid^  .  consequently,,  eYfiry 
..transgressor  is  a  "  transgressor  of  the  law"  altogether. 
But  if.  QLL.tbe-eontrary.'thei'e-  were  as  many  distiuct^ia- 
depciulcnt.  and  unconnected  rules  laid  down,  as  there 
^re  tilings  to  be  done  and  to  be  avoided,  then,  a  man 
who  should  have  violated  urn  of  these  rules  would  have 
dojie_jiDthing  against  the  rest.  As  it  is,  our  obedience 
to  the  law  of  conscience,  however  imperfect  t  in  one 
.sense,  it  may  be,  is  not,  they  teach  us,  to  Impartial  and 


^So,  also,  fhg  Apnstln  T^i1  t°lh  "g  that  a  he.  that 
loveth  another  hath  fuliilled  the  law"  (meaning,  of 
course,  Qs  far  ns  rggnHn  nnr-V-iHgh^rp)  ...ff.  For.  this, 
Tlipu  shalt  not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery, 
Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother  ;  and  if  there  be  any 
omer  .£onniia4id«ient,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this, 
Thou  shalt  ~love-4kyHftsighbor  as.  thyself.  Love  work- 
eth  no  ill  tn  )^ia  neighbor  ;  therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling 

tf  thn  Iftir."   "Rft^i  xiii.  8  -10. 

It  kugemarkablft  i^hat  t^pj  y^vy  ^^^  ifontrinttj  in  thin  _ 

respect,  with  that  of  the  Apostles,  is  nia-intaiunl  by  the  . 
most  yTnir^pnt  nf  ffrp  nnoinnt  hnnthrn  mnrnl  pliilu  uplni 
A^mnn  prnrinot,  nrrnnling  to   Ariatotlfv  (Eth.  Nicom.  b. 
vi.),  be  said,  in  the  strictest  f?o"so7  to  possess  ntifi  virti10; 
and  to  be   destitute  of  the  rest;    since   the  principle 
which  he  calls  right  Ileason  [phronesis],  on  which  a 
truly  virtuous  num  acts,  must  extend  tu  uxry.  poi»t-ef 
duty. 


116  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

§  5. —  Consistency. 

Whatever  principle,  then,  or  system  of  conduct,  you 
lay  down  as  morally  right,  you  should  go  through  with 
it,  and  follow  it  out  consistently,  without  making  arbi 
trary  exceptions  according  to  your  own  taste  and  conven 
ience.  It  might  indeed  be  said,  that,  strictly  speaking, 
any  fault,  however  small,  is  an  "inconsistency"  in  a 
man  whose  life  is  on  the  whole  virtuous.  But  what  we 
mean  when  we  speak  of  an  inconsistent  character  is, 
that  his  course  of  life  is  inconsistent.  It  might  be  said, 
in  like  manner,  that  every  single  weed  in  a  cultivated 
field,  or  in  a  whole  farm,  is  an  "  inconsistency  " ;  and 
yet  you  would  hardly  find,  even  among  the  best  kept 
farms,  any  one  that  had  not  a  single  weed.  But  a  farm 
er  would  then,  and  then  only,  be  reckoned  inconsistent, 
if  he  attended  carefully  to  one  portion  of  his  crops,  and 
left  another  to  be  spoiled  through  neglect;  or  if  he 
sowed  one  half  of  a  field  with  wheat,  and  the  other  half 
with  thistles  and  rag-weed. 

Act,  therefore,  throughout,  on  whatever  principle  you 
have  adopted  as  right ;  or,  if  you  find  that  to  do  so  would 
lead  to  something  wrong  or  absurd,  you  should  take  this 
as  a  proof  that  the  principle  itself  which  you  had  adopt 
ed  must  be  erroneous,  and  requires  to  be  changed.  But 
a  person  who  does  fairly  follow  out  even  an  erroneous 
rule  of  conduct,  which  he  has  mistaken  for  a  right  one, 
is  in  a  fair  way  to  discover  in  time  his  own  mistake. 
And  moreover  he  is  deserving  of  less  blame  than  one 
who  (as  the  phrase  is)  "  plays  fast  and  loose "  with  his 
principle ;  acting  on  it  in  one  case,  and  laying  it  aside 
in  another  just  as  suits  his  inclination. 


SINGLENESS    OF   VIRTUE.  117 

If,  for  instance,  you  are  fully  convinced  that  such  pre 
cepts  as  "  Resist  not  evil,"  etc.,  are  to  be  taken  liter 
ally  and  strictly,  as  forbidding  all  self-defence,  then  you 
should  make  a  point  of  never  resorting  to  the  aid  of  law, 
or  of  any  magistrate,  officer  of  law,  or  civil  governor  of 
any  kind.  For  it  is  plain  that  all  human  laws  and  hu 
man  government  must  rest  ultimately  on  physical  force. 
The  ruler  "  beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain,"  but  "  is  or 
dained  for  the  punishment  of  evil-doers."  A  law  that 
should  merely  exhort  men  to  pay  their  just  debts,  but 
should  denounce  no  penalty  for  non-payment,  nor  be 
supported  by  any  power  of  arrest  or  seizure  of  goods, 
would  be  a  mere  jest.  On  the  above  principle,  there 
fore,  you  would  be  bound  to  leave  it  to  the  choice  of 
your  tenants  and  other  debtors  whether  they  should  pay 
you  or  not.  Nor  would  it  be  allowable  for  you  to  call 
in  the  police  to  help  you  against  robbers.  For  it  would 
be  absurd  to  pretend,  that,  though  it  is  a  sin  to  employ 
force  yourself,  it  is  no  sin  to  employ  others  to  do  it  for 
you. 

Again,  if  you  are  convinced  that  the  Mosaic  law,  or 
that  a  certain  portion  of  it,  is  binding  on  Christians,  then 
you  should  observe  every  one  of  its  commandments,  or 
every  one  of  that  portion  of  its  commandments,  exactly 
as  they  were  given,  without  presuming  to  leave  out  or 
to  alter  any  particle.  Or  if  you  find  that  this  would 
not  be  right,  or  that  it  would  lead  to  some  absurdity, 
then  you  should  not  profess  to  take  the  Mosaic  law  for 
your  rule. 

§  6.  —  Men  apt  to  trust  in  one  Supposed  Virtue. 
It  is  worth  remarking  here,  by  the  way,  that  none  are 


118  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

so  likely  to  fall  into  the  error  (formerly  noticed)  of 
thinking  to  deserve  and  earn  reward  by  the  supposed 
merit  of  their  good  works,  as  those  who  consider  each 
(so-called)  virtue  to  be  a  separate  habit ;  and  that  they 
may,  and  do,  practise  some  one  or  two  virtues,  on  which 
they  rely  and  pride  themselves.  They  trust  to  these 
as  not  only  compensating  for  all  failures  in  other 
points,  but  as  entitling  them  to  reward.  For  a  man  is 
called  "  an  artist "  (as  was  observed  just  above)  who  is 
master  of  any  one  art ;  and  a  tailor,  for  instance,  may 
say,  "I  know  nothing  about  cultivating  the  land,  or 
building  houses ;  those  matters  are  no  business  of  mine : 
making  clothes  is  my  trade,  and  that  is  enough ;  it  is  by 
that  I  earn  my  living"  And  a  carpenter  or  a  smith, 
etc.,  might  say  the  like.  And  so  also  those  who  alto 
gether  mistake  the  whole  nature  of  moral  virtue,  consid 
er  that  a  man  may,  in  like  manner,  be  considered  vir 
tuous  who  practises  any  one  virtue.  To  guard  against 
such  a  mistake,  it  is  best  to  avoid  the  kind  of  language 
that  leads  to  it,  and,  instead  of  speaking  of  several 
distinct  virtues,  to  say  that  there  are  so  many  distinct 
branches  of  duty ;  and  that  Virtue  consists  in  earnestly 
setting  one's  self  to  the  performance  of  every  duty. 


LESSON  XV. 

EASIER   AND    HARDER   DUTIES. 

§  1.  —  Differences  in  Men's  Dispositions. 

You  have  seen,  then,  that  no  one  should  think  of  such 
a  thing  as  possessing  one  virtue  and  not  others.  But  it 
is,  nevertheless,  true  that  different  parts  of  duty  will  be 
easier  or  harder  to  practise,  some  to  one  person,  and 
some  to  another,  according  to  each  man's  original  dispo 
sition  or  early  education.  Suppose,  for  instance,  the 
case  of  a  person  who  is  naturally  of  a  covetous  dispo 
sition,  but  of  a  calm,  mild,  and  gentle  temper  ;  and  an 
other,  who  is  naturally  careless  of  gain,  and  liberal,  but 
irritable  and  passionate.  The  one  of  these  will  have  to 
exercise  much  self-control,  in  acting  always  honestly  and 
liberally,  which  would  cost  the  other  little  or  no  effort, 
though  he  would  scarcely  at  all  feel  such  provocations 
as  the  other  would  find  it  very  difficult  to  bear  with 
patience. 

One  man,  again,  may  find  it  cost  him  a  severe  strug 
gle  to  resist  the  temptations  presented  by  a  desire  for 
applause,  and  dread  of  censure,  but  will  encounter  pain 
and  danger  readily ;  while  one  of  an  opposite  disposi 
tion  will  find  it  much  easier  to  forego  applause,  and  even 
to  undergo  scorn,  than  to  face  danger.  And  there  are 
many  other  such  differences. 


120  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

Any  one  who  is  disposed  to  complain  of  the  labor 
and  pain  it  costs  him  to  do  what  some  others  do  with 
ease,  should  reflect  that,  on  the  other  hand,  they  perhaps 
find  a  great  difficulty  in  something  that  is,  to  him,  much 
easier. 

§  2.  —  Analogy  of  Bodily  Constitutions. 

There  are  much  the  same  kind  of  differences  in  what 
relates  to  bodily  health.  One,  for  instance,  can  perhaps 
undergo  much  bodily  labor,  and  be  even  the  better  for 
it,  but  has  a  weak  digestion,  and  is  obliged  to  be  very 
particular  about  his  diet ;  while  another  may  find  scarce 
ly  any  kind  of  food  disagree  with  him,  but  is  easily  over- 
fatigued.  And  the  like  in  many  other  cases. 

But  no  one  would  consider  himself  in  good  health,  if 
some  part  of  his  body  were  disordered,  though  the  rest 
might  be  quite  sound  and  healthy.  Nor,  in  like  man 
ner,  can  any  one  be  in  a  healthy  moral  state,  if  he 
allows  himself  in  any  kind  of  sin,  or  neglects  a  portion 
of  his  duty.  For  as  a  good  digestion,  for  instance,  is 
not  good  health,  but  only  a  part  of  good  health,  so  (as 
was  above  remarked)  Temperance,  or  Fortitude,  etc., 
is  not  virtue,  but  only  a  part  of  virtue. 

And,  again,  you  may  observe,  that,  with  respect  to 
bodily  health,  every  prudent  man  is  especially  careful 
to  guard  against  those  particular  diseases  to  which  he 
knows  his  own  constitution  is  the  most  liable.  But  in 
moral  conduct  there  is  a  temptation  to  reverse  this 
course ;  —  to  bestow  the  chief  attention  on  those  duties 
which  are  most  agreeable  to  our  own  nature,  and  to 
feel  the  least  dread  of  the  faults  we  are  the  most  in 
clined  to.  A  man,  for  instance,  of  an  open-handed  and 


EASIER   AND    HARDER   DUTIES.  121 

benevolent  disposition,  but  inclined  to  indolence  and  to 
sensuality,  will  be  likely  to  regard  these  as  far  less 
odious  faults  than  avarice.  .And  one  who  is  naturally 
disposed  to  be  active,  frugal,  and  temperate,  but  parsi 
monious,  and  fond  of  gain,  will  abhor  sloth  and  intem 
perance  much  more  than  love  of  money.  And  the  like 
in  many  other  cases. 

And  it  may  sometimes  happen  that  your  having 
some  strong  tendency  in  your  own  character  will  cause 
you  to  perceive  it  not  in  yourself,  but  in  your  neighbors. 
If,  for  instance,  you  are  disposed  to  covetousness,  your 
over-anxiety  to  buy  cheap,  and  sell  dear,  may  make 
you  think  others  covetous ;  because  they  will  ask  more, 
and  offer  less,  than,  to  you,  will  seem  reasonable. 

If,  again,  you  are  of  a  quarrelsome  temper,  this  may 
cause  you  to  think  others  quarrelsome;  or  even  to 
make  them  so,  in  their  dealings  with  you  ;  because  you 
will  be  apt  to  say  and  do  such  things  as  are  likely  to 
irritate  them. 

Or  if  you  are  disposed  to  be  obstinate  and  opinion 
ated,  or  proud  and  overbearing,  others  will  appear  to 
you  to  be  obstinate,  etc.,  because  they  will  not  give 
way  to  you  as  you  will  think  they  ought.*  ^ 

And  it  is  the  same  with  Vanity,  and  several  other 
kinds  of  disposition. 

§3.  —  Care  of  Bodily  Health  and  of  Moral 
And,  again,  a  person  whose  natural  tendency  is.to- 


'  *  A  man  of  this  character  is  said  to  have  complained  of  his  ill-luck, 
inasmuch  as,  whenever  he  was  placed  on  a  jury,  he  always  found  him 
self  joined  with  eleven  obstinate  men  who  would  not  hear  reason. 
11 


122  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

wards  some  extreme, —  suppose,  an  excessive  desire  of 
applause  and  dread  of  censure  —  will  perhaps  take 
great-  pains  in  proving  (what  no  one  denies)  that  it  is 
neither  right,  nor  possible,  to  root  out  completely  this 
feeling ;  and  that  we  ought  not  to  be,  nor  can  be,  wholly 
indifferent  to  the  good  opinion  of  our  neighbors.  He 
might  be  answered,  "  It  is  for  you  to  take  all  possible 
care  to  keep  down  that  feeling ;  and  be  assured  there  is 
no  fear  but  you  will  have  enough  of  it  left.  Treat  it  as 
you  do  the  grass  or.  a  lawn,  which  you  mow  down  as 
close  as  you  can  every  week ;  not  with  the  hope,  or  the 
wish  to  destroy  the  grass,  but  quite  secure  that  it  will 
grow  up  again  fast  enough." 

Some  again  excuse  or  palliate  their  faults  by  saying 
that  such  conduct  is  natural  to  persons  of  their  age, 
or  station,  or  bodily  constitution,  etc.  As  if  nothing 
could  be  a  sin  to  be  guarded  against,  except  something 
to  which  we  are  not  naturally  inclined  ! 

You  should  imitate,  then,  the  conduct  of  a  prudent 
man  in  the  care  of  his  health ;  using  double  watchful 
ness  and  exertion  in  guarding  against  those  faults  in 
particular  which  your  own  character  is  the  most  prone 
to,  and  in  fulfilling  those  duties  which  you  are  the  most 
inclined  to  neglect.  And  you  should  imitate  the  pro 
cedure  of  builders  in  straightening  a  piece  of  timber 
that  is  warped ;  who  bend  it  a  little  beyond  the  straight 
line  in  the  contrary  direction. 

Some  people,  indeed,  carry  this  too  far,  and,  in  their 
excessive  dread  of  one  extreme,  fly  to  the  opposite ;  to 
penuriousness,  for  instance,  in  their  dread  of  prodigality ; 
or  to  rashness  and  hurry,  through  dread  of  over-cautious 
ness  and  hurtful  delay ;  or  the  contrary.  This  kind  of 


EASIER   AND    HARDER   DUTIES.  123 

error  you  should  of  course  avoid ;  but  still  your  first  and 
chief  care  should  be  to  guard  against  the  extreme  to 
which  your  own  disposition  most  inclines  you. 

And  as  the  advice  of  a  good  physician  may  be  of  use 
in  helping  you  to  understand  your  own  bodily  constitu 
tion,  so  a  judicious  friend  may  perform  a  like  service  in 
the  important  point  of  self-knowledge.  For  many  a 
one  deceives  himself  as  to  what  really  are  his  own 
natural  tendencies.  For  instance,  one  who  is  some 
what  inclined  to  the  love  of  money,  may  fancy  himself 
remarkably  liberal ;  because  every  act  of  liberality  will 
have  cost  him  such  an  effort,  that  he  will  think  much  of 
it,  as  a  most  heroic  sacrifice.  A  man,  again,  who  has 
much  self-esteem,  may  fancy  himself  peculiarly  modest 
and  humble ;  because  he  will  view,  as .  it  were,  through 
a  magnifying-glass,  any  act  of  condescension ;  and  will 
seem  to  himself  to  be  lowering  his  own  just  pretensions 
when  he  is  taking  upon  himself  less  than  he  thinks  he 
has  a  fair  claim  to,  though,  in  reality,  more  than  is  right. 

And  so  in  other  cases. 

A  wise  and  candid  counsellor  may  help  to  guard  you 
against  this  kind  of  self-deceit. 

§  4.  —  Enumeration  of  Virtues  not  necessary. 

As  for  such  a  set  of  precise  rules  as  should  at  once 
apply  to  every  case  that  can  arise,  it  is  what  not  even 
the  longest  Treatise  could  contain.  And  an  enumera 
tion  of  what  are  called  the  several  "  Moral  Virtues  "  — 
that  is,  the  branches  of  virtue  —  would  be  unsuitable 
for  introductory  Lessons  like  these ;  and,  for  the  reasons 
above  given,  cannot  be  necessary. 

If,  indeed,  each  Virtue  were  a  distinct  Habit,  hide- 


124  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

pendent  of  the  rest,  and  if  Man  had  no  Moral  Faculty 
to  guide  his  conduct  in  each  kind  of  matter,  but  de 
pended  wholly  on  the  particular  instruction  he  received 
on  each  particular  branch  (as  is  the  case  with  the  sev 
eral  Sciences  and  Arts),  then,  to  omit  the  description  of 
any  one  Virtue,  would  be  to  leave  the  learner,  as  far  as 
regarded  that  one,  entirely  at  a  loss.  Thus,  if  in  train 
ing  a  youth  for  the  Medical  Profession,  for  instance,  you 
were  to  teach  him  Chemistry  and  Botany,  etc.,  but  to 
leave  out  Anatomy,  his  course  of  study  would  be  imper 
fect.  Or  if,  again,  in  a  treatise  on  Agriculture,  you  were 
to  find  full  instructions  for  the  cultivation  of  corn,  but 
nothing  said  about  green  crops,  or  about  cattle,  you 
would  find  fault  with  the  work,  as  imperfect. 

But  in  what  relates  to  moral  conduct,  since  Man  does 
possess  a  Faculty  which  is  designed  to  be  applied  to  the 
guidance  of  the  whole  life,  no  one  can  justly  complain 
that  he  has  received  imperfect  or  insufficient  moral  in 
struction,  on  the  ground  that  some  particular  point  of 
duty,  or  some  particular  sin,  has  not  been  specified.  If 
you  have  been  supplied  (to  refer  to  a  former  illustra 
tion)  with  a  Clock  or  Watch,  and  also  with  a  Sun-dial 
by  which  to  regulate  it,  together  with  directions  (such 
as  are  to  be  found  in  Almanacs)  as  to  the  allowances  to 
be  made  of  differences  between  them,  there  is  no  need 
that  you  should  be  reminded  again  and  again  of  each  of 
the  several  engagements  you  have  at  such  and  such 
hours. 

§  5. —  Mode  of  Instruction  in  the  New  Testament. 

And  accordingly,  the  New  Testament  Writers  (as 
was  above  observed)  do  not  undertake  to  enumerate  all 


EASIER    AND    HARDER    DUTIES.  125 

points  of  Christian  duty,  and  to  enjoin  and  forbid  each 
kind  of  right  and  wrong  act ;  but  exhort  men  to  the  cul 
tivation  of  good  dispositions  and  the  practice  of  Virtue, 
generally,  and  to  the  imitation  of  their  Divine  Master ; 
giving,  however,  some  particular  admonitions  on  those 
points  on  which  the  particular  persons  they  happened 
to  be  addressing  were  the  most  likely  to  fail. 

And  they  designed,  no  doubt,  that,  in  after  ages  also, 
Christian  moral  teachers  should  pursue  a  like  plan ;  ex 
plaining  the  principles  of  Morality,  and  giving  also  such 
particular  cautions  as  might  seem  best  suited  for  their 
own  Age  and  Country,  and  for  the  class  of  hearers  they 
were  instructing. 

And  a  few  cautions  of  this  kind  will  be  all  that  are 
necessary  in  these  introductory  Lessons.  Let  the  Chris 
tian  dwell  on  what  the  Lord  Jesus  said  and  did,  and  act 
with  a  full  sense  that  Ms  eye  is  upon  us,  and  that  He 
requires  us  to  love  and  to  imitate  Him,  and  has  prom 
ised  to  "  come  unto  such  followers,  and  to  make  his 
abode  with  them,"  and  has  gone  "  to  prepare  a  place  for 
them  " ;  and  then  the  Christian  will  not  seek,  or  need, 
any  set  of  exact  and  full-written  rules  for  each  par 
ticular  point  of  conduct. 


11* 


LESSON     XVI. 

MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS. PART    I. 

A  FEW  miscellaneous  hints  and  cautions,  as  to  points 
on  which  mistakes  are  apt  to  arise,  may  be  more  useful 
(for  the  reasons  above  given)  than  an  enumeration  and 
description  of  what  are  usually  called  the  several  Moral 
Virtues. 

§  1.  —  The  Matter  to  which  our  Conduct  relates  should 
be  well  understood. 

You  must  remember  that  you  are  bound  not-  merely 
to  do  what  appears  to  you  to  be  right  in  each  case,  but 
also  to  take  pains  to  understand  the  subject  relating  to 
each  duty  you  are  called  on  to  perform.  It  would  not 
be  enough,  for  instance,  for  a  man  holding  some  public 
situation,  merely  to  have  a  desire  to  promote  his  Coun 
try's  welfare  ;  he  is  bound,  also,  to  take  all  possible  care 
to  learn  in  what  that  welfare  consists,  and  what  are  the 
best  measures  for  promoting  it.  For  if,  through  want 
of  such  care,  he  does  mischief  instead  of  good,  it  is  no 
sufficient  excuse  to  say  that  "  he  meant  well." 

Or  again,- —  to  take  one  of  the  commonest  and  most 
obvious  cases,  that  of  charity  to  the  poor,  —  you  are 
bound  not  merely  to  seek  to  relieve  distress,  but  to  in 
quire  diligently,  and  consider  attentively,  in  what  way 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  127 

you  can  do  this  the  most  effectually,  so  as  to  do  the 
most  good,  and  the  least  harm.  For  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  careless,  indiscriminate  almsgiving  does  far 
more  harm  than  good  ;  since  it  encourages  idleness  and 
improvidence,  and  also  imposture.  If  you  give  freely  to 
ragged  and  filthy  street-beggars,  you  are  in  fact  hiring 
people  to  dress  themselves  in  filthy  rags,  and  go  about 
begging,  with  fictitious  tales  of  distress.  If,  on  the  con 
trary,  you  carefully  inquire  for,  and  relieve,  honest  and 
industrious  persons  who  have  fallen  into  distress  through 
unavoidable  misfortune,  you  are  not  only  doing  good  to 
those  objects,  but  also  holding  out  an  encouragement, 
generally,  to  honest  industry. 

You  may,  however,  meet  with  persons  who  say,  "  As 
long  as  it  is  my  intention  to  relieve  real  distress,  my 
charity  is  equally  virtuous,  though  the  tale  told  me  may 
be  a  false  one.  The  impostor  alone  is  to  be  blamed 
who  told  it  me ;  I  acted  on  what  he  said  ;  and  if  that  is 
untrue,  the  fault  is  his,  and  not  mine." 

Now  this  is  a  fair  plea,  if  any  one  is  deceived  after 
making  careful  inquiry;  but  if  he  has  not  taken  the 
trouble  to  do  this,  regarding  it  as  no  concern  of  his,  you 
might  ask  him  how  he  would  act  and  judge  in  a  case 
where  he  is  thoroughly  in  earnest,  —  that  is,  where  his 
own  interest  is  concerned.  Suppose  he  employed  a 
Steward,  or  other  Agent,  to  buy  for  him  a  house,  or  a 
horse,  or  any  other  article,  and  this  Agent  paid  an  ex 
orbitant  price  for  what  was  really  worth  little  or  nothing, 
giving  just  the  same  kind  of  excuse  for  allowing  his  em 
ployer  to  be  thus  cheated ;  saying,  "  I  made  no  careful  in 
quiries,  but  took  the  seller's  word;  and  his  being  a  liar  and 
a  cheat  is  his  fault,  and  not  mine  " ; — the  employer  would 


128  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

doubtless  reply,  "  The  seller  indeed  is  to  be  condemned 
for  cheating ;  but  so  are  you,  for  your  carelessness  of 
my  interests.  His  being  greatly  in  fault  does  not  clear 
you ;  and  your  merely  intending  to  do  what  was  right, 
is  no  excuse  for  your  not  taking  pains  to  gain  right 
information." 

]Sow  on  such  a  principle  we  ought  to  act  in  our  chari 
ties  :  regarding  ourselves  as  Stewards  of  all  that  Provi 
dence  has  bestowed,  and  as  bound  to  expend  it  in  the 
best  way  possible,  and  not  shelter  our  own  faulty  negli 
gence  under  the  misconduct  of  another 

And  here  it  may  be  remarked,  by  the  way,  that  you 
should  never  allow  any  one  —  least  of  all,  yourself — 
to  put  forward  the  very  common  excuse  of  "  it  is  such 
a  one's  fault " ;  as  if  only  one  person  could  be  in  fault 
in  any  one  transaction.  Thus,  when  you  point  out  to 
some  ignorant  people  something  erroneous  in  their  re 
ligious  belief  or  practice,  they  will  often  reply,  "  Well, 
this  is  what  the  Church  teaches  and  orders,  as  the 
Priests  tell  me ;  if  there  is  anything  wrong  in  it,  they 
must  bear  all  the  blame,  and  not  I.  I  say  and  do  just 
what  they  bid  me;  and  they  must  answer  for  me." 
This  is  just  the  sort  of  excuse  that  Adam  resorted  to 
for  his  transgression  of  the  Divine  command.  He  laid 
the  blame  upon  "  The  Woman  " ;  and  the  answer  he 
received  was,  "  Because  thou  hast  hearkened  unto  the 
voice  of  thy  wife,"  etc. 

§  2,  —  Right  Principles  not  to  be  reserved  for   Great 
Occasions. 

Do  not  reserve  the  exercise  of  virtuous  principle  for 
grand  occasions,  neglecting  small  matters  of  daily  occur- 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  129 

rence ;  but  remember  that  there  may  be  great  faults  in 
relation  to  small  things,  and  an  important  exercise  of 
virtue  in  matters  of  little  importance  in  themselves. 

Do  not,  for  instance,  satisfy  yourself  with  generously 
forgiving  some  great  injury,  while  you  allow  .yourself 
to  be  impatient  and  irritable  under  the  various  petty 
provocations  that  are  perpetually  occurring.  And  be 
not  content  with  making  some  grand  sacrifice  of  your 
own  interest  or  enjoyment  to  a  sense  of  duty,  yet  giv 
ing  way  to  unjust  selfishness,  and  disregard  of  the  rights 
and  the  feelings  of  others,  in  every-day  matters.  For 
you  should  remember,  that  it  is  for  the  sake  of  our  own 
moral  discipline  and  improvement  that  virtuous  conduct 
is  required  of  us,  not  for  the  intrinsic  value  of  any  good 
works  of  ours;  and  that  it  is  by  frequent  practice, 
rather  than  by  some  great  and  rare  efforts,  that  a  habit 
is  acquired. 

§  3.  —  Self-love  and  Selfishness. 

The  mention  of  Selfishness  leads  me  to  remind  you 
not  to  confound  that  with  Self-love,  which  is  quite  a 
different  thing.  Self-love  is  (as  was  formerly  remarked) 
a  rational,  deliberate  desire  for  our  own  welfare,  and  for 
anything  we  consider  likely  to  promote  it.*  It  exists 
in  various  degrees  in  different  persons ;  but  it  is  im 
possible  to  conceive  a  rational  Being  completely  desti 
tute  of  it.  No  one  can  be  completely  indifferent  about 

*  Sometimes  the  word  self-love  is  used  to  signify  self-partiality, 
—  a  tendency  to  overrate  the  excellence  or  the  importance  of  our 
own  performances.  But  properly,  and  according  to  the  usage  of 
those  who  are  the  most  accurate  in  their  language,  it  signifies  "  the 
desire  for  our  own  welfare,  as  such." 


130  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

his  own  happiness,  who  is  but  capable  of  forming  an 
idea  of  happiness. 

And  Self-love,  you  should  observe,  is  quite  distinct 
from  all  our  other  desires  and  propensities,  though  it 
may  often  tend  in  the  same  direction  with  some  of 
them.  One  person,  for  instance,  may  drink  some  water 
because  he  is  thirsty ;  and  another  may,  without  thirst, 
drink  —  suppose  from  a  mineral  spring  —  because  he 
believes  it  will  be  good  for  his  health.  This  latter  is 
impelled  by  self-love ;  but  not  the  other. 

So,  again,  one  person  may  pursue  some  course  of 
study,  in  order  to  qualify  himself  for  some  profession 
by  which  he  may  advance  in  life,  and  another,  from 
having  a  taste  for  that  study,  and  a  desire  for  that 
branch  of  knowledge.  This  latter,  though  he  may  per 
haps  be,  in  fact,  promoting  his  own  welfare,  is  not 
acting  from  self-love.  For  as  the  object  of  thirst  is 
not  happiness,  but  drink,  so  the  object  of  curiosity  is 
not  happiness,  but  knowledge.  And  so  of  the  rest. 

Self-love  may,  of  course,  like  any  of  our  other  tenden 
cies,  be  excessive,  or  improperly  indulged,  or  ill-directed ; 
but  it  is  nothing  evil  in  itself.  And  for  one  person  who 
goes  wrong  through  excess  of  self-love,  there  are  ten 
who  do  so  for  the  sake  of  gratifying  some  appetite  or 
passion.  A  drunkard,  for  instance,  or  a  gambler,  or  a 
quarrelsome  man,  etc.,  do  not  lead  the  life  they  do  from 
calculating  that  this  will  conduce  to  their  happiness; 
but  the  one  from  his  craving  for  strong  drink,  another 
from  covetousness,  and  another  from  pride  and  malice. 

Selfishness,  on  the  other  hand,  (which  is  a  thing  bad 
in  itself,)  consists  not  in  the  indulging  of  this  or  that 
particular  propensity,  but  in  disregarding,  for  the  sake 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  131 

of  any  kind  of  personal  gratification  or  advantage,  the 
rights  or  the  feelings  of  other  men.  It  is  therefore  a 
negative  quality ;  that  is,  it  consists  in  not  considering 
what  is  due  to  one's  neighbors,  through  a  deficiency  of 
justice  or  of  benevolence.  And  selfishness  accordingly 
will  show  itself  in  as  many  different  shapes  as  there  are 
different  dispositions  in  men. 

You  may  see  these  differences  even  in  very  young 
children.  One  selfish  child,  who  is  greedy,  will  seek 
to  keep  all  the  cakes  and  sweetmeats  to  himself;  an 
other,  who  is  idle,  will  not  care  what  trouble  he  causes 
to  others,  so  he  can  save  his  own ;  another,  who  is  vain, 
will  seek  to  obtain  the  credit  which  is  due  to  others ; 
one  who  is  covetous,  will  seek  to  gain  at  another's  ex 
pense,  etc.  In  short,  each  person,  you  should  remem 
ber,  "  has  a  self  of  his  own."  And,  consequently,  though 
you  may  be  of  a  character  very  unlike  that  of  some  self 
ish  person,  you  may  yet  be,  in  your  own  way,  quite 
as  selfish  as  he.  And  it  is  possible  to  be  selfish  in  the 
highest  degree,  without  being  at  all  too  much  actuated 
by  self-love,  but  unduly  neglectful  of  others,  when  your 
own  gratification,  of  whatever  kind,  is  concerned. 

Even  the  most  amiable  feelings  require  to  be  watched, 
with  a  view  to  this  fault.  A  liberal  and  benevolent 
man,  for  instance,  may  be  tempted  to  wish  to  keep 
entirely  to  himself  some  work  of  beneficence,  in  which 
others  may  desire,  and  reasonably  desire,  to  have  a 
share.  And  a  brave  and  public-spirited  man  may  be 
tempted  to  wish  to  be  the  sole  performer  of  some  great 
exploit,  to  the  unfair  exclusion  of  others. 

The  great  safeguard  against  selfishness  is  to  apply 
the  "  Golden  Kule,"  and  imagine  yourself  in  another's 
place. 


132  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

§  4.  —  Retiring  from  the  World. 

You  must  guard  against  the  mistake  of  imagining 
that  there  is  anything  virtuous  in  seeking  to  escape 
temptation  by  what  some  call  "  renouncing  the  World  "  ; 
—  that  is,  withdrawing  from  active  life  into  a  Hermit 
age,  or  a  Monastery,  or  some  such  retreat.  Those 
who  thus  fly  from  the  World's  dangers,  generally  fly 
from  many  of  its  duties  also.  And,  after  all,  though 
they  may  thus  escape  some  kinds  of  temptation,  they 
will  meet  with  others  of  some  different  kind  instead. 
And  we  cannot  have  the  same  ground  of  hope  for 
Divine  support  against  temptations  that  are  of  our  own 
creating,  and  which  we  have  gone  out  of  our  way  to 
encounter,  as  against  those  occurring  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  life  marked  out  for  us  by  Providence. 

Again,  the  prospect  of  being  engaged  in  some  great 
and  important  good  work,  must  not  be  allowed  to  draw 
you  off  from  definite  duties  that  are  especially  appointed 
for  you.  A  good  soldier  will  not  quit  without  orders 
the  post  where  he  has  been  stationed,  to  go  and  perform 
some  exploit  against  the  enemy  elsewhere. 

A  man  would  be  to  blame,  for  instance,  who  should 
leave  his  children  to  the  mercy  of  chance,  while  he  went 
about  attending  public  Meetings  for  some  good  object,  or 
travelled  as  a  Missionary  in  foreign  lands. 

As  for  our  Lord's  immediate  followers,  when  some  of 
them  left  homes  and  parents  to  act  as  his  attendants,  or 
his  messengers,  this  was  at  the  command  of  Him  who 
knew  perfectly  all  the  particulars  of  each  case,  and 
who  had  an  undoubted  right  to  their  services.  But  no 
one  is  justified  in  giving  up  his  own  definite  duties  on 
his  own  fallible  judgment. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  133 

§  5.  —  Occasions  for  doing  Good  to  be  looked  out  for. 

On  the  other  hand,  be  not  satisfied  with  being  able  to 
say  to  yourself,  " I  am  doing  no  harm"  if  there  is  any 
good  left  undone  which  you  could  do  without  desert 
ing  your  own  proper  duties.  Suppose  it  is  something 
that  is  not  more  your  particular  business  than  that  of 
several  other  persons ;  instead  of  saying,  "  Why  does 
not  one  of  them  undertake  this  good  work  ?  "  you  should 
say,  "  If  it  be  a  thing  right  to  be  done,  it  must  be  right 
that  somebody  should  do  it ;  is  there  any  reason  why  I 
should  not  be  that  somebody  ?  " 

A  man  who  is  eager  for  gain  is  continually  on  the 
look-out  for  some  profitable  employment  of  the  time 
or  the  capital  he  may  have  to  spare,  even  though  it 
may  not  exactly  be  in  his  own  line  of  business.  He 
will  never  willingly  let  his  money  or  his  hands  remain 
idle.  And  if  there  be  some  scheme  of  profit  which 
several  other  persons  might  engage  in  as  well  as  he, 
this  will  only  make  him  the  more  anxious  that  none 
of  them  should  outstrip  him  in  industrious  enterprise. 
Now  this  conduct  of  "  the  children  of  this  World  "  who 
are  "  wise  in  their  generation,"  should  serve  as  an  ex 
ample  to  "  the  children  of  light." 


12 


LESSON    XVII. 

MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS. PART    II. 

r — 

§  1.  —  Veracity  and  Fidelity. 

ALL  would  agree  that  it  is  a  duty  to  tell  truth,  and 
to  keep  promises ;  but  there  are  several  mistakes  afloat 
respecting  this  branch  of  duty. 

Remember,  then,  that  we  must  look  to  the  sense  which 
the  words  spoken  on  any  occasion  may  be  expected  to 
convey,  and  not  to  any  other  which  they  might  gram 
matically  bear.  Hence,  if  you  say  something  that  is  in 
the  literal  sense  true,  but  which  you  know,  or  believe, 
will  be  otherwise  understood,  you  are  just  as  much 
morally  guilty  of  falsehood  as  if  the  expression  itself 
had  been  altogether  false. 

If,  for  instance,  in  some  Mahometan  country,  you 
were  to  describe  yourself  as  "  a  true  believer"  without 
giving  any  explanation  of  your  meaning,  this  would  be 
a  deception ;  because  it  is  well  known  that  those  words 
are  (there)  understood  to  mean  a  Mahometan.  And 
it  would  be  the  same  kind  of  deceit  if  you  were  to  call 
yourself  "  a  Catholic,"  when  speaking  to  those  who,  you 
knew,  would  understand  by  that  (however  improperly) 
,  a  member  of  "  the  Church  of  Rome." 

So  also,  when  our  Lord  said,  "  My  kingdom  is  not 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  135 

of  this  world,"  the  expression  might,  indeed,  be  inter-  I 
preted  to  mean  "  it  is  not  so  now  ;  but  I  intend  that  it 
shall  be  such,  hereafter."  But  if  this  had  been  his 
meaning,  and  He  had  designed  that,  as  soon  as  ever  his 
disciples  should  become  powerful  enough,  they  should 
rise  in  arms,  and  put  down  all  idolatrous  princes,  and 
enforce  the  profession  of  Christianity,  or  at  least  secure 
to  themselves  a  monopoly  of  all  civil  power,  and  civil 
rights,  —  in  that  case,  He  would  have  been  guilty  of  a 
deception  no  less  than  if  his  declaration  had  been  lit-  , 
erally  false.  For  He  was  vindicating  himself  before 
Pilate  from  the  charge  of  "  speaking  against  Caesar "  ; 
and  therefore  must  have  known  that  He  could  not  have 
been  understood  in  the  above  sense ;  since  that  would 
have  been  to  admit  the  charge. 

And  the  same  may  be  said  of  all  the  declarations  of 
the  Apostles,  about  "  submitting  to  every  ordinance  of 
Man,"  etc.  If  they  were  honest  men,  they  must  have 
really  meant  what  they  could  not  but  be  certain  they 
were  understood  at  the  time  to  mean  ;  namely,  a  renun 
ciation  of  all  design,  of  themselves  and  their  followers, 
to  subvert  by  force  any  political  institutions,  or  to  en 
force  the  profession  of  their  own  religion ;  or  to  monop 
olize  for  Christians  civil  rights. 

§  2.  —  What  constitutes  Moral  Truth  and  Falsehood. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  no  moral  falsehood  in 
saying  what  is  literally  untrue,  when  we  know  that  it 
will  not  be  literally  understood.  Thus,  Fables  [or 
Parables]  and,  in  short,  all  avowedly  fictitious  tales, 
are  no  violation  of  veracity.  And  when  any  one  signs 
himself  "  your  obedient  servant,"  every  one  knows  that  f 


136  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

this  is  merely  the  customary  expression  of  civil  cour 
tesy.*  ' 

Again,  when,  in  war,  a  General  seeks  to  mislead  the 
enemy  as  to  the  numbers  or  the  position  of  his  troops,  — 
or  when  a  ship  of  war  is  disguised  as  a  merchantman, 
to  entice  a  Pirate  or  a  Slaver  within  reach,  —  or  when 
a  Policeman  dresses  in  plain  clothes,  or  some  other 
disguise,  in  order  to  detect  thieves,  —  in  such  cases 
there  is  no  fraud,  because  the  parties  are  aware  that 
every  kind  of  artifice  will  be  resorted  to  against  them  ; 
and  no  confidence  is  violated  where  none  is  placed. 
But  when  a  Flag  of  Truce  is  displayed,  or  Signals  of 
Distress  hoisted,  any  deception  is  unjustifiable ;  because, 
according  to  the  custom  of  all  nations,  these  are  under 
stood  as  demands  of  confidence,  and  promises  of  good 
faith. 

Every  assertion,  then,  or  promise,  or  declaration  of 
whatever  kind,  is  to  be  interpreted  on  the  principle  that 
the  right  meaning  of  any  expression  is  that  which  may 
be  fairly  presumed  to  be  understood  by  it.  This  may 
chance  to  be  different  from  what  the  other  party  ac- 
tually  did  understand  ;  for  you  are  not  bound  to  be  an- 


^*  It  is  necessary,  in  each  country,  to  be  acquainted  with  the  cus 
tomary  forms  of  expression  of  this  kind ;  else  you  may  be  greatly  per 
plexed  yourself,  and  may  perplex  others.  In  Spain,  for  instance, 
the  common  form  of  civility  to  an  acquaintance  is  to  ask  him  to  din- 
•  ner,  which  he  is  expected  civilly  to  decline ;  to  accept  such  an  in 
vitation  the  first  or  the  second  time,  would  astonish  and  perplex  a 
Spaniard  as  much  as  it  would  us  if  any  one  should  understand  liter 
ally  the  phrase  "  your  obedient,  humble  servant,"  and  should  there 
upon  desire  you  to  black  his  shoes.  If  a  Spaniard  really  means  to 
invite  you  to  dinner,  he  repeats  the  invitation  a  third  time,  and  then 
he  is  understood  to  mean  it  literally. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  137 

swerable  for  his  mistakes.  And  again,  it  may  be  dif-  > 
ferent  from  what  you  yourself  inwardly  meant,  if  you 
were  designing  to  mislead  the  other  by  an  equivocation, 
or  if  you  expressed  yourself  carelessly  and  inaccurately. 
But  in  whatever  sense  it  might  reasonably  be  expected 
that  a  declaration  of  any  kind  will  be  understood,  this 
is  to  be  regarded  as  the  true  sense,  and  that  to  which 
you  are  bound. 

§  3.  —  Implied  Promises. 

And  it  is  plain  that  the  same  rule  applies  to  acts  as 
well  as  to  words.  If,  for  instance,  you  asked  any  one 
the  way  to  some  place,  and  he  pointed  with  his  hand  in 
a  wrong  direction,  he  would  be  acting  a  lie.  And  if  any 
one  should  take  some  child  into  his  family,  and  bring 
him  up  as  a  son  of  his  own,  he  would  be  bound  to  pro 
vide  for  him.  If  he  left  him  without  any  provision,  he 
would  be  guilty  of  a  breach  of  promise,  though  he  might 
never  have  actually  said  anything  on  the  subject.  For 
the  very  reason  why  any  promise  is  binding,  is  because 
he  who  knowingly  excites  expectations  is  bound  to  fulfil 
them. 

So,  also,  if  you  should  induce  some  laborers  to  come 
and  settle  on  your  land,  and  work  for  you,  conforming 
to  certain  rules,  with  full  permission  to  them  to  go  to 
their  own  church  or  chapel  on  Sundays,  then  if  you 
should  afterwards  withdraw  this  permission,  and  estab 
lish  a  new  rule  on  the  subject,  you  would  be  a  deceiver, 
even  though  you  had  never  said  that  the  original  rule 
was  not  to  be  changed,  because  you  must  have  known 
what  were  the  expectations  you  had  raised,  and  which 
had  induced  them  to  accept  your  proposal. 
12* 


138  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

Again,  if  some  College,  or  School,  or  other  such  In 
stitution,  were  established  with  a  declaration  that  it  was 
to  be  open  to  all,  of  whatever  religious  persuasion,  and 
that  none  were  to  be  excluded  or  expelled  from  it  on 
account  of  their  religion,  this  would  of  course  be  under 
stood  to  mean  that  the  pupils  should  not  be  obliged  to 
learn  or  to  practise  anything  against  their  religious  con 
viction,  however  erroneous  that  conviction  might  be. 
For  else  some  might  be  virtually  excluded  who  might 
fairly  claim,  according  to  the  original  declaration,  to  be 
admitted. 

Or  again,  if  persons  are  invited  to  bestow  their  money 
and  time  and  labor  in  establishing  some  Hospital  or 
Dispensary,  or  some  School,  College,  Public  Library, 
etc.,  and  are  promised  aid  from  a  public  fund  on  condi 
tion  of  keeping  to  a  certain  system,  they  have  a  fair 
claim  to  that  aid  as  long  as  they  conform  to  the  system. 
If  certain  rules  have  been  laid  down  as  to  the  medicines 
to  be  administered,  the  books  to  be  employed,  or  the 
plan  to  be  followed,  and  then  material  alterations  in 
these  rules,  etc.  are  afterwards  introduced,  and  quite 
different  ones  enforced,  this  might  be  justly  complained 
of  as  a  fraud.  Though  no  express  promise  had  been 
made  that  the  system  should  not  be  changed,  both  par 
ties  must  have  been  fully  aware  that  the  invitation 
which  was  given,  and  accepted,  would  have  been  no  in 
vitation  at  all,  but  for  the  expectation  that  the  system 
originally  set  forth  was  to  remain  the  same. 

Sometimes  it  is  an  understood  condition  of  some 
promise  that  the  fulfilment  shall  be  possible,  and  that 
the  promiser  is  only  bound  to  do  his  very  utmost ;  in 
which  case  he  is  not  to  be  blamed  for  an  unavoidable 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  139 

failure.  But  it  is  best  that,  whenever  this  is  designed,  > 
the  condition  of  "  if  possible  "  should  be  distinctly  ex 
pressed,  so  as  to  make  sure  that  both  parties  shall  be 
fully  aware  of  it.  For  whatever  you  promise  uncon 
ditionally  and  absolutely,  you  are  absolutely  bound  to 
make  good ;  and  you  should  not  have  made  such  an 
engagement,  unless  you  were  not  only  designing  to  use 
your  best  endeavors,  but  also  absolutely  certain  of  suc 
cess  ;  because  it  was  you  that  induced  the  other  party 
to  rely  upon  it  absolutely.*^ 


^*  Dr.  Paley  lays  it  clown  as  "  evident "  that  a  promise  is  not  bind 
ing  where  performance  is  impossible ;  except  only  when  the  impossi 
bility  was  known  beforehand  to  the  promisor.  As,  for  instance,  if 
you  promise  to  procure  a  man  a  certain  situation,  knowing  privately 
that  it  is  already  disposed  of.  And  it  is  very  common  to  hear  people 
say,  "  Such  a  one  is  not  to  be  blamed  for  not  having  made  good  what 
he  promised,  because  he  did  his  best,  and  it  was  found  to  be  impossi 
ble."  And  yet  every  one  knows  that  this  rule  does  not  hold  good.  For 
instance,  if  a  merchant  or  manufacturer  contracts  to  deliver  such  and 
such  goods  by  a  certain  day,  and  fails,  he  is  always  held  bound  to 
make  good  the  damage  to  the  other  party ;  though  the  failure  may 
have  been  caused  by  the  wreck  of  a  ship,  or  by  a  strike  among  his 
workmen.  He  is  never  allowed  to  plead  that  it  was  out  of  his  power 
to  fulfil  the  contract,  unless  a  condition  to  that  effect  was  expressly 
inserted  in  it.  The  other  party  may  choose  to  forego  his  claim,  out  of 
kindness  and  compassion,  if  he  thinks  the  case  one  of  peculiar  hard 
ship  But  that  he  has  the  claim  to  compensation,  just  the  same  as  if 
the  failure  had  been  wilful,  no  one  doubts. 

For  he  who  makes  an  engagement  unconditionally,  is  uncondition 
ally  bound  to  fulfil  it. 

If,  therefore,  a  Minister  of  State,  for  instance,  induces  persons  to 
vote  for  a  certain  measure,  by  the  assurance  that  it  will  lead  to  such 
and  such  good  results,  he  ought  not  to  be  allowed  afterward  to  plead, 
that,  on  trial,  he  found  it  impossible  to  accomplish  that  object.  Hav 
ing  led  them  to  place  full  confidence  in  him,  he  must  bear  the  whole 
blame  of  their  disappointment, 


140  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

§  4.  —  Oases  in  which  a  Promise  is  not  binding. 

In  any  kind  of  assertion,  then,  or  profession  or  prom 
ise,  we  are  to  look  to  what  is  reasonably  to  be  under 
stood  ;  which  may  be  something  not  distinctly  stated  in 
words.  You  are  bound  to  nothing  less  than  this,  and  to 
nothing  more.  For  instance,  if  a  man  comes  to  you 
with  a  tale  of  distress,  and  you  promise  to  relieve  him  ; 
if  you  afterwards  discover  that  he  is  an  impostor,  you 
are  not  bound  by  the  promise :  not  merely  because,  if 
you  had  known  this  before,  you  would  not  have  made 
the  promise,  for  this  is  not  enough  ;  but  because  he 
himself  must  have  understood  your  promise  of  relief  to 
jwoceed  on  the  supposition  of  his  tale  being  true. 

According  to  this  rule,  therefore,  the  Israelites, 
though  they  thought  fit  to  spare  the  Gibeonites,  were 
not  bound  to  do  so  by  their  promise  ;  because  that  was 
made,  as  the  Gibeonites  themselves  well  knew,  on  the 
supposition  that  they  were  a  People  of  "a  very  far 
Country."* 


*  Afterwards,  indeed,  the  Israelites  ratified  the  promise  they  had 
been  thus  tricked  into,  and  thus,  in  fact,  entered  into  &fresli  engage 
ment  with  the  Gibeonites,  with  a  full  knowledge  of  the  circumstan 
ces.  This  new  engagement,  therefore,  was  binding.  And  it  was  for 
n,  violation  of  this  engagement  that  Saul  incurred  guilt  in  slaying  the 
Gibeonites. 

Sometimes  the  unwary  are  tricked  into  a  promise  of  secrecy  by  an 
art  which  they  ought  to  be  well  on  their  guard  against ;  since  they  may 
thus  be  brought  into  situations  of  much  difficulty.  A  person  gives 
you  an  account  of  some  secret  transaction  or  design,  and  then  says, 
"  Of  course  you  will  not  mention  this  to  any  one."  If  you  are  in 
experienced  and  incautious,  you  will  be  likely  to  answer  hastily,  "  0 
certainly  not"  ;  and  then  you  arc  pledged  to  secrecy  ;  and  thus,  per 
haps,  made  a  party  to  some  dishonorable  transaction,  or  at  least  in- 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  141 

In  no  case,  in  short,  can  any  one  be  reproached  with 
breach  of  a  promise,  who  has  been  tricked  into  mak 
ing  it  by  a  false  representation  of  the  matter  it  relates  to. 
If,  for  instance,  you  were  to  be  shown  a  pretended  letter, 
or  will,  of  your  father,  and  were  induced,  by  a  regard 
for  his  supposed  wishes,  to  make  some  promise,  you 
would  of  course  be  freed  from  it  as  soon  as  you  detected 
the  forgery.  So  also  if  you  had  been  induced  to  promise 
your  assistance  in  arresting,  and  delivering  over  to  death, 
a  supposed  heretic,  or  if  you  had  been  persuaded  to 
make  a  vow  of  celibacy,  or  of  implied  obedience  to  the 
Superior  of  some  Convent,  from  having  been  taught  to 
believe  that  such  is  the  will  of  God,  then,  if  you  were 
afterwards  fully  convinced  that  this  is  contrary  to  the 
truth,  you  would  not  be  bound  by  any  such  engagement 
or  vow. 

As  for  such  a  case  as  that  of  King  Herod,  who  had 
promised  the  daughter  of  Herodias  to  "  give  her  what 
soever  she  should  ask,"  a  wise  and  upright  counsellor 
would  have  advised  him  to  answer  her,  "  You  under 
stood  —  or  ought  to  have  understood  —  that  the  promise 
was,  of  anything  rightfully  mine  to  give,  and  did  not 
extend  to-  the  commission  of  a  crime." 


volved  in  much  perplexity.  You  ought  to  answer,  "  I  shall  act  ac 
cording  to  my  own  discretion ;  I  shall  conceal  the  matter,  or  divulge 
it,  as  I  may  see  fit.  If  you  had  meant  to  secure  my  silence,  you  should 
have  asked  me  for  the  promise  before  you  made  the  communication  ; 
and  I  should  probably  have  declined  to  pledge  myself,  in  which  case 
you  might  have  told  me  nothing  ;  but  I  will  not  have  a  confidence 
forced  upon  me  without  my  own  consent.  As  it  is,  you  have  thought 
fit  to  make  this  communication  at  your  own  risk,  without  previously 
exacting  any  promise.  I  have  made  none  ;  and  I  decline  to  make 
any." 


142  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

As  for  the  oath  in  this,  or  indeed  in  any  case,  that,  it 
is  plain,  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  question  as  to  the 
fair  interpretation  of  what  is  said.  It  only  marks  the 
promise  or  the  assertion  as  a  deliberate  and  solemn  one. 
And  a  truly  upright  and  pious  man  will  consider  him 
self  to  be  always  on  his  oath  when  he  is  speaking  delib 
erately  and  solemnly.  For  such  expressions  as  "  calling 
God  to  witness,"  etc.,  can  only  mean,  reminding  yourself 
that  He  is  a  witness,  and  a  judge,  of  all  that  you  say  or 
do :  since  it  would  be  absurd  to  imagine  that  our  acts 
are  not  known  to  Him  unless  we  invite  Him  to  notice 
them ;  or  that  He  needs  our  permission  to  punish  a 
wrong-doer.*  But  in  all  cases,  a  promise  can  be  no  ex 
cuse  for  doing  anything  that  is  in  itself  wrong ;  because 
you  were  already  bound  to  the  contrary.  If,  therefore, 
you  have  been  drawn  in  to  promise  something  unjustifi 
able,  there  was  one  sin  in  making  the  promise,  and  there 
would  be  another  sin  in  keeping  it. 

§  5.  —  Falsehoods  of  Suppression. 

It  follows  from  what  has  been  above  said,  that  there 
may  be  lies  of  omission.  For  if,  when  it  is  understood 
that  you  are  giving  a  fair  and  full  statement  of  any  mat 
ter,  you  suppress  some  important  circumstance,  you  are 

*  With  respect  to  the  "  Coronation  Oath,"  and  the  rest  of  what  we 
call  "  oaths  of  office,"  it  has  been  explained  in  the  "  Lessons  on  the 
British  Constitution,"  that  they  bind  no  one  to  anything  which  he 
•was  not  already  bound  to  by  the  very  act  of  accepting  the  office. 
Perhaps,  therefore,  it  would  be  better  if  this  were  made  more  clearly 
understood,  by  omitting  altogether  all  promissory  oaths  and  declara 
tions  of  this  kind,  and,  instead  of  these,  explaining  to  each  person 
what  are  the  duties  of  the  office  he  is  undertaking,  and  solemnly 
warning  him  that  he  is  morally  bound  to  fulfil  those  duties. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  143 

guilty  of  a  deception,  though  all  you  do  say  may  be  quite 
true.  Accordingly,  witnesses  in  a  Court  of  Justice 
swear  to  tell  "the  truth  and  the  whole  truth."  For 
half  the  truth  may  amount  to  a  falsehood. 

If,  for  instance,  an  ignorant  rustic  is  told  that  the  Sun 
stands  still,  but  is  not  informed,  or  cannot  be  made  to 
understand,  that  the  Earth  turns  round,  he  will  be 
more  at  a  loss  than  ever  to  understand  the  changes  of 
day  and  night. 

Again,  an  inscription,  we  learn,  has  been  discovered 
at  Nineveh,  recording  King  Sennacherib's  invasion  of 
Judoea ;  stating  that,  after  having  taken  several  cities,  he 
returned  home.  All  which  is  true ;  but  no  mention  is 
made  of  his  having  lost  nearly  two  hundred  thousand 
men  before  Jerusalem,  which  compelled  him  to  make  a 
hasty  retreat.  This,  therefore,  is  a  false  record,  accord 
ing  to  the  principle  above  laid  down,  that  everything  is 
to  be  understood  as  meaning  what  is  fairly  to  be  under 
stood  from  it.  For  a  professed  narrative  of  any  trans 
action  is  understood  to  give  us  all  the  essential  parts  of  it. 

So  also,  if  one  person  sets  forth  all  the  moral  precepts 
of  the  Gospel,  and  keeps  back  all  mention  of  redemption 
by  the  sacrifice  of  our  Saviour,  and  another  preaches  to 
his  People  justification  through  faith,  and  omits  all  notice 
of  good  works,  each  of  these,  though  saying  nothing  that 
is  not  true,  or  that  is  not  Scriptural  truth,  is  falsifying 
the  Gospel.  t 

§  6.  —  Connivance  at  Deceit. 

It  is  to  be  observed  also,  that  whoever  connives  at  or 
takes  advantage  of  a  falsehood,  makes  himself  a  part 
ner  in  the  guilt  of  it.  Suppose,  for  instance,  you  were  a 


144  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

candidate,  or  a  supporter  of  a  candidate,  for  a  seat  in 
Parliament,  or  some  other  office,  and  that  you  found  a 
report  had  been  spread  that  the  rival  candidate  had 
been  guilty  —  which  you  knew  he  was  not  —  of  some 
atrocious  crime ;  if  you  allowed  this  report  to  remain 
uncontradicted,  so  that  men  would  vote  against  him 
from  having  been  thus  misled,  you  would  be  a  partaker 
in  the  guilt  of  this  falsehood,  though  you  had  not  your 
self  invented  it.  Indeed,  such  conduct  corresponds 
closely  with  the  receiving  of  stolen  goods ;  which  is  de 
scribed  by  the  Psalmist,  saying,  "  When  thou  sawest  a 
thief,  thou  consentedst  unto  him."  For  the  like  rule 
applies  to  both  cases.  He  who  says,  "  It  was  not  I  that 
invented  and  circulated  this  calumny,"  might  equally 
well  say,  "  It  was  not  I  that  stole  these  goods  ;  but  they 
were  offered  me  for  sale,  and  I  bought  them." 

One  way  in  which  some  who  are  far  from  being  quite 
indifferent  about  duty  are  apt  to  fail  in  that  most  im 
portant  and  difficult  virtue,  strict  Justice,  is,  by  mistak 
ing  the  question  to  be  decided,  and  fancying  themselves 
right  because  they  have  judged  rightly  on  some  point 
that  was  not  really  the  one  in  question.  What  we  mean 
may  be  illustrated  by  the  well-known  story  of  Cyrus 
and  the  two  coats.  The  famous  King  Cyrus  was,  as  the 
tale  goes,  when  a  boy,  punished  by  his  master  for  giv 
ing  an  unjust  decision.  One  of  his  schoolfellows,  who 
was  tall  and  stout,  had  a  coat  that  was  too  small  for 
him;  and  proposed  to  a  smaller  boy,  whose  coat  was 
much  too  big  for  him,  to  make  an  exchange.  But  the 
other  refused ;  whereupon  the  bigger  boy  took  away 
the  coat  by  force,  and  left  his  own  in  exchange ;  and 
Cyrus,  on  being  appealed  to,  decided  in  favor  of  the  ex- 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  145 

change.  He  had  judged  rightly  which  coat  best  fitted 
each  boy ;  but  this  was  not  the  real  question ;  which 
was,  whether  it  was  right  to  take  away  another's  prop 
erty  without  his  consent. 

So,  in  the  case  above  alluded  to,  you  may  perhaps 
have  judged  rightly  that  the  candidate  against  whom  a 
false  charge  had  been  circulated  was  not  the  fittest  per 
son  to  be  elected :  but  this  does  not  justify  you  in  suf 
fering  him  to  be  injured  by  a  false  charge. 

So  also,  if  you  compel -a  man  to  vote  at  an  election 
for  the  candidate  you  think  the  best,  or  to  spend  his 
money  in  what  appears  to  you  the  wisest  manner,  or  to 
bring  up  his  children  in  what  you  judge  to  be  the  truest 
religion,  you  are  guilty  of  a  wrong,  even  though  your 
judgment  on  all  these  points  should  be  right ;  because 
the  real  question  is,  not  whether  your  opinions  or  his 
are  the  better,  but  whether  he  should  be  left  to  follow 
his  own  judgment  and  conscience,  or  be  forced  to  follow 
yours. 

So  also,  supposing  you  judged  rightly  in  thinking 
that  some  falsehood  which  you  propagate,  or  connive  at, 
will  lead  to  a  good  consequence,  and  that  people  may 
in  such  a  case  be  deceived  to  their  own  advantage,  still 
that  is  not  the  real  question  before  you,  but  whether 
you  have  any  right  to  deceive  them  at  all.  But  by 
mistaking  the  real  point  to  be  decided  on,  men  often 
justify  to  themselves  the  use  of  fraud  (as  well  as  of  un 
just  force)  for  attaining  what  they  consider  a  good  end. 

§  7.  —  Pious  Frauds. 

There  is  accordingly  no  case  in  which  men  are  oft- 
ener  tempted  to  connive  at  falsehood,  than  where  Relig- 
13 


146  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

ion  and  Virtue  seem  to  be  concerned.  Some  there  are, 
indeed,  who  are  directly  guilty  of  what  are  called  "  pious 
frauds  " ;  such  as  circulating  false  stories  of  miracles,  — 
pretensions  to  inspiration,  etc.  The  supposed  goodness 
of  the  end  blinds  them  to  the  sinfulness  of  the  means  ; 
and  they  "  do  evil  that  good  may  come."  But  a  truly 
pious  as  well  as  honest  man  will  regard  a  "  pious  fraud  " 
as  the  worst  of  all  frauds,  because,  besides  the  sin  of 
lying,  it  has  also  that  of  presumptuous  profaneness.  To 
suppose  that  the  God  of  Tritfh  can  be  served  by  false 
hood,  and  can  approve  of  it,  is  to  attribute  to  Him  the 
character  of  the  Evil  One,  who  is  called  in  Scripture 
"  the  father  of  lies."  What  is  called  a  pious  fraud, 
therefore,  is  really  an  impious  fraud. 

Some,  however,  who  would  scruple  distinctly  to  assert 
what  they  know  to  be  untrue,  will  think  it  allowable  and 
right  to  avoid  undeceiving  those  who  are  under  some 
(supposed)  salutary  delusion,  for  fear  of  what  is  called 
"  unsettling  their  minds."  *  For  instance,  there  are 
a  good  many  readers  of  the  Bible  who  are  ignorant  that 
the  divisions  into  Chapters  and  Verses  were  not  made 

*  It  is  a  most  important  point  of  prudence,  not  to  give  unnecessary 
offence  to  any  one,  by  expressing  your  opinions  in  a  paradoxical  and 
revolting  form,  or  with  an  air  of  arrogant  disdain;  nor  to  agitate 
men's  minds,  for  no  object,  by  dragging  in  discussions  of  doubtful 
questions  that  have  no  necessary  connection  with  the  matter  im 
mediately  in  hand.  Thus,  if  you  were  giving  religious  instruction, 
to  some  pei-sons  who  thought  very  differently  from  you  on  some  points 
of  politics,  or  medicine,  or  natural  philosophy,  not  essential  to  the 
subject  you  were  engaged  on,  it  would  be  very  unwise  to  go  out  of 
your  way  to  alarm  or  disgust  them,  or  agitate  their  minds  with 
doubts  by  introducing,  unnecessarily,  disquisitions  on  those  points. 
It  is  under  the  disguise  of  this  kind  of  prudence  that  the  disingenuous 
procedure  we  are  speaking  of  has  usually  crept  in. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  147 

by  the  Writers,  but  were  introduced,  long  afterwards, 
for  the  sake  of  reference.  Now  there  are  some  persons 
(of  the  character  just  described)  who  would  indeed 
scruple  to  tell  people  that  the  Sacred  "Writers  made 
those  divisions,  but  wish  that  the  ignorant  should  be  left 
in  that  mistake  ;  and  would  even  take  care  to  sup 
press  any  correction  of  it,  for  fear  of  "  unsettling  their 
minds." 

This  particular  mistake,  many  would  regard  as  of 
very  small  importance  ;  though  it  is  of  much  more  than 
they  suppose ;  since  it  causes  many  readers  to  misunder 
stand,  or  imperfectly  understand,  several  parts  of  Scrip 
ture  which  would  otherwise  be  quite  clear.*  But  if  you 

*  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  division  into  chapters  and 
verses  is  not  the  work  of  the  Sacred  Writers  themselves.  They  did 
not  divide  their  writings  into  chapters  and  verses  at  all.  Those  di 
visions  were  made  many  hundred  years  afterwards,  for  the  conven 
ience  of  reference ;  because,  as  the  pages  of  different  Bibles  do  not 
correspond,  we  could  not  have  found  any  passage  we  might  want 
by  looking  to  such  and  such  a  page,  as  we  do  in  other  books.  But 
the  chapters  and  verses  have  not  always  a  reference  (as  some  seem 
to  suppose)  to  the  sense  of  the  Sacred  Writers:  on  the  contrary,  they 
often  interrupt  and  obscure  the  sense.  In  many  parts  of  Scripture, 
for  instance,  a  chapter  will  end,  and  a  new  one  begin,  just  in  the  mid 
dle  of  a  discourse.  As,  for  instance, 

At  the  end  of  the  19th  and  beginning  of  20th  Matt. 
"  "        24th         "  "        25th     " 

"  "          2d          "  "          3d  John. 

18th        «  "        19th  Acts. 

"  "          7th        "  "          8th  Rom. 

"  "        10th        "  "        llth  1  Cor. 

"  "        12th        "  "        13th     " 

"  "          3d          "  "          4thColoss. 

Note  top.  10,  Dublin  edition,  of  a  Tract  on  Self-Examina 
tion,  for  the  Use  of  Persons  who  have  been  confirmed. 
And  hence  a  person  who  reads  the  two  chapters  separately,  at  per- 


148  LESSONS     :>N    MORALS. 

once  bring  yourself  to  disregard  truth  in  matters  that 
seem  to  you  of  no  great  importance,  you  will  gradually 
slide  further  and  further  into  disingenuousness  and 
double-dealing.* 

§  8.  —  Consequences  of  Deception. 

And,  moreover,  any  deception  you  may  have  propa 
gated  or  connived  at  will  be  likely  to  lead  to  far  greater 
evil  effects  than  in  what  regards  the  particular  point 
that  is  immediately  concerned.  For  when  it  is  detect 
ed —  as  deceptions  generally  are,  sooner  or  later  — 
men's  confidence  is  shaken  as  to  everything  that  comes 
from  the  same  quarter.  "  This  man,"  they  will  say, 
"  has  led  us,  or  left  us,  to  believe  something  that  he 
knew  to  be  false  ;  how  can  we  trust  him  when  he  tells 
us  that  our  Bible  is  faithfully  translated  from  the  Origi 
nal  ?  or  indeed  that  there  ever  was  any  Original  ? 
How  can  we  be  sure  that  he  is  not  deceiving  us  through 
out  ? "  And  thus  it  often  happens,  according  to  the 
Proverbs,  that  "  a  liar  is  not  believed  even  when  he 


haps  several  days'  interval,  will  be  very  likely  to  understand  but  lit 
tle  of  either;  or  perhaps  even  to  make  some  dangerous  mistake  as  to 
the  Sacred  Writer's  meaning.  Some  of  the  plainest  passages  in 
Scripture  have,  I  believe,  been  commonly  misunderstood,  merely 
through  the  mistaken  attention  paid  to  the  division  into  chapters  and 


*  Accordingly,  we  have  seen,  of  late  years,  persons  venerated  as 
"  holy  men  "  who  have  not  only  practised,  but  openly  advocated,  the 
system  of  what  they  call  "  reserve  "  or  "  economy  " ;  that  is,  teach 
ing  something  different  from  what  they  inwardly  believe;  and  who 
have  even  acknowledged  without  shame  that  the  strong  censures  ut 
tered  by  them  on  some  person  or  Church  were  what  they  did  not 
themselves  believe  at  the  time  to  be  just!  —  See  No.  XIII.  of  Cautions 
for  the  Times. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  149 

tells  truth,"  and  that  "  Frost  and  Fraud  both  end  in 
foul." 

Accordingly,  pious  frauds  have  (as  Dr.  Paley  re 
marks)  done  more  damage  to  Christianity  than  all  other 
causes  put  together. 

But  to  perceive  the  expediency,  in  the  long  run,  of 
keeping  scrupulously  to  truth,  is  a  thing  not  given  to 
those  who  do  not  venerate  truth  in  itself,  and  adhere  to 
it  on  moral  grounds.  The  maxim  that  "  honesty  is  the 
best  policy,"  is  one  that  you  will  find  no  one  habitually 
acting  on ;  for  a  truly  honest  man  is  always  before  it, 
and  a  knave  is  generally  behind  it.  Those,  that  is,  who 
merely  look  out  for  what  is  "  the  best  policy,"  generally 
fail  to  find  out,  till  too  late,  that  honesty  is  really  the 
best  policy.  And  a  really  honest  man,  who  does  what 
is  right,  not  on  grounds  of  policy,  but  on  moral  prin 
ciple,  will  usually  be  rewarded  by  finding  that  his 
course  turns  out  to  have  been  really  the  most  politic. 


13 


LESSON    XVIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  —  PART   III. 

§  1. —  Coveting. 

THE  sin  of  coveting,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  for 
bidden  in  the  Tenth  Commandment,  is  one  concerning 
which  some  people  fall  into  mistakes. 

There  is  no  sin  in  your  wishing  for  a  house,  or  a 
horse,  or  any  other  article,  belonging  to  your  neighbor, 
if  you  are  willing  to  pay  him  a  fair  price  for  it ;  else 
indeed  all  buying  and  selling  would  be  a  sin.  As  it  is, 
each  party  obtains  an  advantage,  when  there  is  fair  deal 
ing  For  he  who  buys  a  horse  shows  that  he  prefers 
the  horse  to  the  money ;  and  he  who  sells  it,  that  he  pre 
fers  the  money  to  the  horse. 

But  the  sin  of  coveting  consists  in  desiring  to  obtain 
another's  property  ivitkout  an  equivalent ,  —  in  short, 
to  gain  by  his  loss.*  And  this  is  what  is  done  in  gam- 


*  A  man  may  indeed  have  such  nn  excessive  and  absurd  fancy  for 
some  article  belonging  to  another,  as  to  be  willing  to  pay  even  more 
for  it  than  it  is  really  worth,  or  more  than  lie  can  properly  afford. 
This  would  be  a  piece  of  extravagance  and  folly;  but  no  breach  of 
the  Tenth  Commandment,  if  he  did  not  wish  to  obtain  it  without  an 
equivalent. 

Again,  a  man  may  be  said,  in  a  certain  sense,  to  gain  by  another's 
loss,  if  he  sets  up  a  shop  in  some  place  where  there  had  before  been 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  151 

ing ;  including  under  that  name  all  kinds  of  betting. 
Of  course,  any  one  who  robs  or  (which  comes  to  the 
same  thing)  cheats  his  neighbor,  is  also  guilty  of  covet 
ing  :  but  then  he  is  guilty  of  stealing  too.  He  breaks 
both  the  Tenth  Commandment  and  the  Eighth.  But 
in  the  case  of  gaming,  where  there  is  fair  play,  it  is  only 
the  Tenth  Commandment  that  is  broken. 

You  may  meet  with  treatises  and  tales  directed 
against  gaming,  in  which  the  writers  speak  all  along 
not  of  fair  play,  but  of  cheating.  And  hence  there  is  a 
danger  of  their  leading  the  reader  to  think  that  where 
there  is  no  cheating  there  is  nothing  wrong.  Again, 
some  of  these  writers  draw  lively  pictures  of  the  ruinous 
losses  men  have  suffered  in  gaming ;  and  this  may  mis 
lead  people  into  thinking  that,  as  long  as  they  proceed 
prudently,  and  do  not  stake  more  than  they  could  afford 
to  lose,  they  are  doing  nothing  wrong.  Sometimes  again 
the  waste  of  time  is  dwelt  on ;  and  hence  the  reader 
may  be  led  to  infer  that  he  is  merely  required  to  game 
in  moderation. 

But  all  these  admonitions  and  cautions  have  nothing 
to  do  with  Gaming  in  particular,  and  as  a  thing  evil  in 
itself.  For  in  buying  and  selling,  and  other  such  trans 
actions,  there  may  be  cheating,  or  fair  dealing.  And 
there  may  be  prudent  or,  imprudent  speculations  in 
Mining,  or  Farming,  and  various  other  concerns.  There 
may  also  be  excess  or  moderation  in  every  kind  of 

but  one,  and  draws  off  a  portion  of  the  custom  from  him  who  had 
been  enjoying  a  kind  of  monopoly.  But  there  is  evidently  no  sinful 
coveting  in  this;  since  what  he  desires  to  gain,  and  does  gain,  is  the 
money  of  his  customers  in  return  for  the  goods  they  buy  of  him ; 
not  anything  that  was  the  property  of  the  other  shopkeeper. 


152  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

recreation ;  as  in  Music,  or  in  Field-sports,  or  the  cul 
tivation  of  a  flower-garden,  etc.  All  those  admonitions, 
therefore,  which  are  usually  given,  have  no  peculiar 
relation  to  Gaming.  But  what  does  especially  belong 
to  it  is,  that  it  is  a  breach  of  the  Tenth  Commandment, 
though  not  of  the  Eighth ;  being  an  attempt  to  obtain 
another's  property  without  an  equivalent,  —  to  gain  by 
his  loss.* 

Gamesters,  it  is  true,  do  very  often  fall  into  the 
hands  of  sharpers,  or  become  sharpers  themselves; 
and  many  squander  their  time,  or  their  fortunes,  at  the 
gaming-table  or  the  race-course.  But  hardly  any  one 
begins  with  such  a  design.  They  begin  by  designing  to 
play  fairly,  and  to  associate  with  none  but  fair  players, 
and  to  game  moderately,  and  prudently.  And  they  have 
been  taught  to  think  that  the  only  evils  of  gaming 
consist  in  a  departure  from  these  rules.  Afterwards 
they  are  led  on,  step  by  step,  into  utter  ruin.  But  they 
would  not  have  taken  the  first  step,  if  they  had  been 
taught  from  the  first  that  gaming  is  bad  in  itself. 
There  is  reason  to  think,  therefore,  that  those  treatises 
and  tales,  etc.  above  alluded  to  are  likely  to  do  at  least 
as  much  harm  as  good. 

Those  who  attempt  to  defend  Gaming  say,  "I  do 
the  other  no  wrong,  for  I  have  his  consent :  he  agrees 

*  It  is  true  the  Ten  Commandments,  as  indeed  the  rest  of  the 
Mosaic  Law,  were  addressed  to  the  Israelites  alone,  and  that  Law 
has  not  in  itself  any  binding  force  on  us.  (See  "  Lessons  on  Religious 
Worship.")  But  all  moral  precepts  —  of  which  the  Tenth  Com 
mandment  is  manifestly  one  —  are  (as  was  observed  above)  binding 
on  every  man  from  their  own  nature.  Coveting  —  and  the  same  may 
be  said  of  theft,  murder,  etc.  —  is  not  wrong  became  it  was  forbid 
den,  but  was  forbidden  because  it  is  wrong. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  153 

to  risk  his  money  for  the  chance  of  winning  mine  ;  and 
I  do  the  same."  Why,  if  this  were  not  the  case,  it 
would  be  the  same  thing  as  stealing  ;  and  we  do  not 
charge  you  with  a  breach  of  the  Eighth  Commandment, 
but  only  of  the  Tenth.  But  it  is  plain  that  you  are,  each 
of  you,  wishing  and  seeking  to  profit  by  another's  loss  ;  • 
and  if  this  be  not  the  sin  of  coveting,  what  is  ? 

Of  course,  if  the  sum  staked  on  some  game  or  bet 
be  so  utterly  insignificant  to  the  players  that  it  makes 
no  perceptible  difference  whether  they  win  or  lose  it, 
there  is  no  sinful  covetousness  in  the  case.  And  ac 
cordingly,  that  might  not  be  Gaming  to  one  person 
which  is  so  to  another.  For  a  few  shillings  would  be, 
to  a  man  of  fortune,  a  mere  nothing ;  though  as  many 
pence  would  be  a  serious  loss  or  gain  to  a  poor  laborer. 
But  if  your  example  leads  any  one  to  play  for  a  stake 
which  is  to  him  (though  not  to  you)  of  some  conse 
quence,  you  will  have  been  encouraging  him  in  the  sin 
of  Gaming.* 

§  2. — Personal  Injuries. 

Generous  forgiveness  of  injuries  is  a  point  of  Chris 
tian  duty  respecting  which  some  people  fall  into  con 
fusion  of  thought.  They  confound  together  personal  re 
sentment  and  disapprobation  of  what  is  morally  wrong. 
A  person  who  has  cheated  you,  or  slandered,  or  other- 


*  As  for  the  scruple  felt  by  some  persons  about  games  of  chance, 
because  they  consider  a  lot  as  something  sacred,  that,  it  is  plain,  has 
nothing  at  all  to  do  with  the  present  subject.  For  people  may, 
and  often  do,  play  at  games  of  chance  without  any  stake  at  all. 
And  again,  at  billiards,  which  is  altogether  a  game  of  skill,  much 
gambling  often  takes  place- 


154  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

wise  wronged  you,  is  neither  more  nor  less  a  cheat  or  a 
slanderer,  than  if  he  had  done  the  same  to  a  stranger. 
And  in  that  light  he  ought  to  be  viewed.  Such  a  person 
is  one  on  whom  you  should  not  indeed  wish  to  inflict 
any  suffering  beyond  what  may  be  necessary  to  reform 
him,  and  to  deter  other  wrong-doers ;  and  you  should 
seek  to  benefit  him  in  the  highest  degree  by  bringing 
him  to  a  sense  of  his  sin.  But  you  ought  not  to  choose 
such  a  man  as  an  associate,  or  to  trust  him,  and  in  all 
respects  treat  him  as  if  he  had  done  nothing  wrong. 
You  should  therefore  take  care,  on  the  one  hand,  that 
the  personal  injury  you  may  have  suffered  does  not  lead 
you  to  think  worse  of  a  man  than  he  deserves,  or  to 
treat  him  worse ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  you  should 
not  allow  a  false  generosity  to  destroy  in  your  mind  the 
distinctions  of  right  and  wrong.  Nor,  again,  should 
the  desire  of  gaining  credit  for  great  magnanimity,  lead 
you  to  pretend  to  think  favorably  of  wrong  conduct, 
merely  because  it  is  you  that  have  suffered  from  it. 
None  but  thoughtless  or  misjudging  people  will  applaud 
you  for  this.  The  duty  of  Christian  forgiveness  does 
not  require  you,  nor  are  you  allowed,  to  look  on  injus 
tice,  or  any  other  fault,  with  indifference,  as  if  it  were 
nothing  wrong  at  all,  merely  because  it  is  you  that  have 
been  wronged. 

And,  universally,  you  should  take  care  not  to  con 
found  together  tenderness  and  kindness  towards  the  per 
sons  who  are  in  error  or  in  fault,  and  indifference  about 
the  faults  themselves.  A  charitable  disposition  is  chiefly 
shown  in  making  due  allowances  for  those  whom  we 
do  think  in  the  wrong  ;  not  in  persuading  ourselves  that 
they  are  right,  or  that  it  is  of  little  consequence  whether 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  155 

a  man  thinks  and  acts  rightly  or  wrongly.  Faults  and 
errors,  you  should  be  careful  neither  to  overrate,  nor  to 
underrate ;  and  the  persons  who  may  have  fallen  into 
them,  you  should  be  careful  not  to  judge  too  harshly, 
yet  without  destroying  in  your  own  mind  the  distinc 
tions  of  true  and  false,  or  of  good  and  evil. 

§  3.  —  Christian  Humility. 

There  are  also  mistakes  afloat  respecting  the  duty  of 
Christian  Humility.  (1.)  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that 
it  is  a  part  of  Christian  Humility  to  renounce  the  use 
of  your  Reason,  and  give  yourself  up  to  be  led  by  your 
feelings ;  or  to  follow  blindly  some  human  leader. 

Of  course,  it  would  be  a  fault  to  be  over-confident 
in  your  own  judgment,  or  to  employ  your  Reason  on 
matters  above  human  reason,  or  to  refuse  to  listen  at 
tentively  to  those  who  are  able  to  give  you  good  advice 
and  instruction.  And  young  people  especially  ought  to 
follow  the  guidance  of  those  older  and  wiser  than  them 
selves.  But  they  should  endeavor  also  to  learn  to 
understand  the  instructions  they  receive ;  in  order  that 
as  they  grow  up  they  may  become  capable  of  guiding 
themselves,  and  not  remain  children  all  their  lives.  "  Be 
not,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  children  in  understanding : 
howbeit,  in  malice  be  ye  children,  but  in  understanding 
be  men." 

But  to  resolve  to  give  yourself  up,  to  follow,  all  your 
life,  as  a  safe  guide,  some  person  or  party  who  can  show 
no  miraculous  proof  of  infallibility,  is  to  humble  your 
self,  not  before  God,  but  before  Man.* 

*  You  will  observe  that  the  Apostle  Paul  (1  Cor.  chap,  iii.)  calls 


156  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

And  there  is  no  Christian  humbling  of  yourself — 
though  debasement  there  is  —  in  resigning  yourself  to 
your  feelings,  and  following  what  some  call  "  the  dic 
tates  of  the  Heart,"  instead  of  what  Reason  shows  to  be 
true  and  right ;  because  your  Feelings  are  as  much  a 
part  of  your  self  as  your  Reason  is  ;  so  that  this  is  only 
humbling  one  portion  of  yourself  before  another  por 
tion. 

The  disciples,  you  should  remember,  were  led  by 
the  sober  decision  of  a  sound  understanding  to  say, 
"  No  man  can  do  these  miracles  except  God  be  with 
him  "  ;  and  thence  to  trust  and  believe  Jesus  implicit 
ly  ;  but  Peter  was  led  by  his  "  Heart "  —  that  is,  his 
inclinations  and  prejudices  —  to  say,  "  Be  it  far  from 
Thee,  Lord!  there  shall  no  such  thing  happen  unto 
Thee." 

§  4.  —  Confessions  of  the  Depravity  of  Man. 

(2.)  There  is  no  personal  humility  in  confessing 
generally  the  weakness  and  ignorance  and  sinfulness 
of  the  whole  human  race.  It  is  indeed  quite  right 
that  we  should  be  duly  sensible  of  that  weakness.  And 
you  should  not  listen  to  any  one  who  attempts  to  ex 
plain  the  nature  of  the  Most  High  as  He  is  in  Himself, 


the  Corinthians  "  carnal  and  walking  as  men,"  when  they  formed 
themselves  into  parties.  And  he  is  far  from  confining  what  he  says 
to  some  few  superior  persons,  leaving  ordinary  Christians  to  contimie 
"carnal":  but  censures  partisanships  altogether.  And  as  he  con 
demns  those  who  said,  "  I  am  of  Paul,  and  I  of  Apollos,  and  I  of 
Cephas,"  etc. ;  so  he  would,  no  doubt,  if  he  had  lived  in  later  days, 
have  censured  those  who  say,  "  I  am  of  Whitfield,  or  I  of  Wesley, 
or  I  am  a  Calvmist,  or  I  an  Arminian,"  etc. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  157 

and  why,  and  how,  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were  neces 
sary  for  Man's  salvation,  and  why  evil  exists  in  the 
universe,  and  other  mysterious  points  which  are  be 
yond  human  Reason,  and  which  Scripture  does  not 
reveal. 

And  equally  to  blame  are  both  those  who  profess  to 
explain,  where  God  has  not  given  us  revelation,  the  rea 
sons  of  his  dealings  with  Man,  and  those  again  who  in 
sist  on  it  that  in  such  and  such  a  case  He  had  no  reason 
at  all,  but  acted  as  He  did  "  to  declare  his  sovereignty," 
and  "  for  his  own  glory  " ;  as  if  He  could  literally  de 
sire  glory !  When  the  Most  High  has  merely  revealed 
to  us  his  Will,  we  have  no  right  to  pronounce  that  He 
had  no  reasons  for  it  except  his  will,*  because  he  has 
not  made  them  known  to  us.  Even  an  earthly  king, 
who  is  not  responsible  to  any  of  his  subjects  for  the  rea 
sons  of  his  commands,  may  think  fit  sometimes  to  issue 
commands  without  explaining  his  reasons :  and  it  would 
be  very  rash  for  any  one  to  conclude  that  he  had  no  rea 
son  at  all,  but  acted  from  mere  caprice. 

So  also,  a  dutiful  child  will  often  have  to  say,  "  I  do 


*  "  Many,"  says  Calvin  (Inst.  53,  c.  23,  §  7),  "  as  if  wishing  to  re 
move  odium  from  God,  while  they  admit  election,  yet  deny  reproba 
tion;  but  in  this  they  speak  ignorantly  and  childishly;  since  election 
itself  could  not  be  maintained  except  as  contrasted  with  reprobation. 
God  is  said  to  set  apart  those  whom  He  adopts,  as  children  for  sal 
vation.  Those  therefore  whom  He  passes  by,  He  condemns ;  and  that 
for  no  cause  whatever  except  that  He  chooses  to  exclude  them  from  the 
inheritance  which  He  predestinates  for  his  children."  And  again, 
shortly  after,  he  says,  "  Whence  comes  it  that  so  many  nations,  with 
their  infant  children,  should  be  sentenced  irremediably  to  eternal 

death,  by  the  fall  of  Adam,  except  that  such  was  God's  wilt? 

The  Decree  is,  I  confess,  a  horrible  one,"  etc- 
14 


158  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

so  and  so  because  my  parents  have  commanded  me ;  that 
is  reason  enough  for  me."  But  though  this  is  —  to  the 
child  —  a  very  good  reason  for  obeying  the  command,  it 
would  be  a  very  bad  reason  with  the  parents  for  giving 
that  command.  And  he  would  show  his  filial  veneration 
and  trust,  not  by  taking  for  granted  that  his  parents  had 
no  reason  for  their  commands,  but,  on  the  contrary,  by 
taking  for  granted  that  there  was  a  good  reason  both 
for  acting  as  they  did,  and  for  not  giving  him  any  ex 
planation. 

It  is  therefore  no  pious  humility,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
great  presumption,  for  Man  to  pronounce  —  where 
Scripture  does  not  tell  us  —  either  what  were  the  rea 
sons  of  God's  dealings  with  us,  or  that  He  had  none  at 
all.  One  who  pretends  to  be  so  much  wiser,  or  better 
informed,  than  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  as  to  tell  us 
what  they  knew  not,  or  at  least  were  not  commissioned 
to  make  known,  must  greatly  overrate  the  faculties  of 
Man. 

But  though  it  is  most  important  to  think  rightly  and 
humbly  of  the  Human  Race  generally,  no  one  will  feel 
ashamed  and  personally  humbled  at  the  thought  that  he 
is  no  wiser  or  better  than  the  very  wisest  and  best  of 
mankind ;  nor  will  this,  therefore,  incite  him  to  seek  im 
provement.  A  child  is  not  ashamed  of  not  having  the 
full  structure  and  intellect  of  a  man,  but  only  if  he  fails 
in  something  that  might  fairly  be  expected  of  a  child. 
And  moreover,  it  is  possible  for  you  to  think  very  lowly 
of  the  wisdom  or  the  virtue  of  the  human  species,  and 
yet  to  overrate  -yourself  as  compared  with  other  men. 
You  may  thus  fancy  yourself  very  eminent  in  the  vir 
tue  of  Christian  Humility,  while,  in  truth,  you  are  puffed 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  159 

up  with  spiritual  pride ;  trusting  that  you  are  exempt 
from  this,  because  you  do  not  think  highly  of  Human  Na 
ture  generally,  and  because  you  acknowledge  with  grati 
tude  that  whatever  there  is  of  good  in  you  is  a  gift  of 
God ;  even  as  the  Pharisee  in  the  parable  was  thankful 
for  not  being  "  as  this  Publican." 

It  may  seem  strange  that  there  should  be  any  need  — 
but  a  need  there  certainly  is  —  to  admonish  you  that 
there  is  no  humility  in  confessing  the  sins  of  other  peo 
ple.  If,  for  instance,  you  believe  that  some  act  of  our 
rulers,  in  which  you  had  no  hand,  is  very  wrong,  and 
amounts  to  a  national  sin,  it  is  possible  you  may  be  right 
in  thinking  so,  but  you  cannot  be  personally  humbled  by 
this  thought.  You  are  right  in  believing  that  our  first 
Parents  committed  a  grievous  sin ;  but  it  would  be  ab 
surd  to  imagine  that  you  ought  to  be  —  or  that  you  can 
be  —  penitent  for  the  sin  of  Adam.  All  real  penitence 
must  be  for  the  faults  you  are  conscious  of  in  yourself; 
and  personal  humility  consists,  not  in  forming  a  low  es 
timate  of  some  other  persons,  or  of  the  whole  human 
Race,  but  in  not  thinking  too  highly  of  yourself  indi 
vidually. 

§  5.  —  Just  Estimate  of  One's  Self. 

(3.)  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  mistake  to  think  that 
any  one  who  does  happen  to  be  superior  to  the  general 
ity,  intellectually  or  morally,  is  bound,  as  a  point  of 
modesty,  to  be  ignorant  of  this,  or  to  pretend  to  be  so, 
and  to  think,  or  profess  to  think,  himself  inferior  to 
what  he  really  is.  For,  on  the  one  hand,  it  cannot  be 
a  part, of  Duty  to  be  under  any  kind  of  mistake  ;  and, 


ICO  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

on  the  other  hand,  there  cannot  be  any  virtue  in  feign 
ing  or  affectation  of  any  kind.* 

But  if  your  belief  is,  that  you  do  possess  some  supe 
rior  endowments  as  to  any  point,  take  care  —  as  far  as 
regards  yourself —  to  be  thankful  to  the  Giver  of  all 
such  advantages,  and  to  remember  that,  for  every  talent 
intrusted  to  you,  you  are  accountable  to  Him.  And,  as 
far  as  regards  others,  take  care  to  avoid  ostentation  and 
disdainful  assumption  of  superiority.  For  this  is  offen 
sive,  even  in  such  matters  of  fact  as  admit  of  no  possi 
ble  mistake  or  doubt.  A  person,  for  instance,  who 
should  have  gained  some  great  prize  in  a  competition, 
or  discovered  a  new  Planet,  or  invented  a  new  Tele 
graph,  or  performed  some  other  notable  exploit,  must 
not  boast,  nor  be  always  reminding  people  of  what  he 
has  done. 

And,  on  the  other  hand,  even  if  he  should  be  mistaken 
in  his  opinion  of  his  own  abilities,  and  think  them  great 
er  than  they  are,  a  mere  error  of  judgment  will  not  be 
imputed  to  him  as  a  sin,  provided  he  keep  clear  of  pride ; 


*  Properly  speaking,  self-conceit  and  modesty  have  reference  to  a 
man's  estimate  of  himself  as  compared  with  the  reality.  A  conceited 
man  overrates  himself;  and  a  modest  man  does  not.  But  many  peo 
ple  do  not  at  all  take  this  into  account.  They  are  apt  to  reckon  a 
man  conceited  who  has  a  high  opinion  (whether  rightly  or  wrongly) 
of  his  own  powers;  and  him  modest  who  forms  a  low  one.  And  yet 
it  may  so  happen  that  this  latter  may  be  in  reality  overrating  him 
self  in  thinking  himself  not  below  the  average,  or  only  a  little  below, 
and  the  other  may  possibly  be  even  underrating  himself  in  thinking 
himself  only  a  little  above  it. 

If  you  could  imagine  a  mouse  imagining  itself  just  equal  to  such  a 
small  animal  as  a  rabbit,  and  an  elephant  believing  itself  only  equal 
to  such  a  large  animal  as  au  ox,  they  would  be  making  opposite  mis 
takes. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  161 

nor  will  he  be  offensive  to  others,  if  he  is  but  free  from 
disdainful  arrogance,  and  from  ostentation. 

§6. —  General   Confessions,   and    Confession   without 
Amendment. 

(4.)  Again,  there  is  no  humility  in  a  mere  general 
confession  that  you  are  a  "  miserable  sinner,"  if  in 
each  particular  case  you  always  stoutly  justify  yourself, 
and  can  never  be  brought  to  own  a  fault. 

(5.)  Lastly,  there  is  no  humility  in  confessing  any 
faults  which  you  do  not  strive  to  correct.  It  would 
indeed  be  a  shocking  presumption  to  think  that  you 
need  not  aim  at  improvement,  but  are  quite  good 
enough,  being  without  faults  ;  but  it  is  still  greater  pre 
sumption  to  think  that  you  are  good  enough  with  all 
your  faults.  "  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  de 
ceive  ourselves  " ;  but  if  we  say  that  we  have  sins, 
and  yet  do  not  earnestly  seek  God's  promised  help  rt  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness,"  this  would  be  even 
a  more  fatal  self-deception. 

Remember  then  that  the  virtue  of  Christian  Humility 
is  not  to  be  considered  as  some  bitter  potion,  which  you 
can  swallow  in  a  large  dose,  once  for  all,  and  so  have 
done  with  it ;  but  rather  as  a  kind  of  alterative  medicine, 
to  be  taken  daily,  and  drop  by  drop. 

You  must  study,  daily,  to  be  open  to  conviction,  — 
patient  of  opposition,  —  ready  to  listen  to  reproof,  even 
when  you  are  not  convinced  that  it  is  deserved,  —  ready, 
when  you  are  convinced,  to  confess  an  error,  —  and  glad 
to  receive  hints,  and  suggestions,  and  corrections,  even 
from  your  inferiors  in  ability,  —  and  never  overbearing 
14* 


162  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

or  uncharitable  towards  those  who  differ  from  you,  or 
ostentatious  of  superiority. 

All  this  will  be  a  more  laborious  and  difficult  task 
than  to  make  fine  speeches  about  your  ignorance,  and 
weakness,  and  sinfulness  ;  but  it  is  thus  that  true  Hu 
mility  is  shown,  and  is  exercised  and  cultivated. 

§  7.  —  Moral  Judgments  of  the  Vulgar. 

You  must  remember,  not  only  that  we  are  not  to  act 
for  the  sake  of  human  approbation,  but  also  that  we  are 
not  to  measure  our  conduct  by  the  prevailing  opinions 
of  men.  For  though  men  in  general  do,  on  the  whole, 
(as  has  been  formerly  remarked,)  approve  of  virtue  and 
condemn  vice,  the  moral  judgment  of  a  great  part  of 
mankind  is,  in  several  points,  apt  to  be  incorrect ;  and 
their  standard  of  virtue  is  rather  a  low  one.  It  is  a 
true  and  wise  remark  of  Lord  Bacon,  that  "  the  lowest 
of  the  virtues  the  vulgar  praise  ;  the  middle  ones  they 
admire  ;  of  the  highest  they  have  no  perception."  By 
"  the  vulgar  "  he  means  not  merely  the  lowest  in  station, 
and  the  utterly  illiterate,  but  the  common  run  of  man 
kind.  And  by  "  the  virtues "  he  means  those  parts  of 
virtue  —  or  habits  that  commonly  pass  for  virtues  —  of 
which  we  have  formerly  spoken.  The  humblest  of  these, 
—  such  as  Hospitality,  Liberality,  Gratitude,  good-na 
tured  Courtesy,  etc.,  —  he  says  are  what  the  vulgar 
praise.  Those  which  they  admire,  —  such  as  daring 
Courage,  and  fidelity  to  friends,  and  to  the  cause  or 
the  party  one  has  espoused,  are  what  he  puts  in  the  next 
highest  place.  But  the  loftiest  virtues  of  all,  —  such  as 
disinterested  Public  Spirit,  thoroughgoing  even-handed 
Justice,  and  disregard  of  general  unpopularity  when 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  163 

Duty  requires  it,  —  of  these,  he  says,  the  vulgar  usually 
have  no  notion. 

And  he  might  have  gone  further :  for  it  often  hap 
pens  that  a  large  portion  of  mankind  not  only  do  not 
praise  or  admire,  but  even  censure  or  despise,  the  highest 
qualities.  Cases  will  sometimes  occur  in  which,  though 
you  may  obtain  the  high  approbation  of  a  very  few  per 
sons  of  the  most  exalted  and  refined  moral  sentiments, 
you  must  be  prepared  to  find  the  majority  (even  of  such 
as  are  not  altogether  bad  men)  condemning  you  as  "un 
natural,"  "  unkind,"  "  faithless,"  and  not  to  be  depended 
on ;  or  deriding  you  as  "  eccentric,"  "  crotchety,"  "  fanci 
ful,"  and  "  absurdly  scrupulous." 

§  8.  —  Virtues  that  are  not  generally  approved. 

If,  for  instance,  you  refuse  to  defend,  or  to  deny,  or  to 
palliate,  the  faults  of  those  engaged  in  what  you  consider 
a  good  cause,  and  if  you  are  ready  to  bear  testimony  to 
whatever  there  may  be  that  is  right,  on  the  opposite 
side,  you  will  be  regarded  by  many  as  treacherous"  or 
lukewarm,  or  inconsistent.  If  you  are  an  advocate 
for  tolerating  an  erroneous  faith,  and  protest  against 
forcing,  or  entrapping,  or  bribing,  any  one  into  the 
profession  of  a  true  one,  many  will  consider  you  as 
yourself  tainted  with  error,  or  indifferent  to  true  re 
ligion. 

If,  again,  you  consider  a  seat  in  Parliament,  or  any 
other  place  you  may  occupy,  or  the  power  of  appoint 
ing  another  to  such  a  place,  as  a  sacred  trust  for  the 
public  service,  and  therefore  requiring  sometimes  the 
sacrifice  of  private  friendship,  —  if  you  do  justice  to  an 
opponent  against  a  friend,  or  to  a  worse  man  (when  he 


164  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

happens  to  have  right  on  his  side)  against  a  better,  —  if 
you  refuse  to  support  your  friends,  or  those  you  have 
been  accustomed  to  act  with,  or  those  to  whom  you 
have  a  personal  obligation,  when  they  are  about  doing 
something  that  is  unjustifiable; — in  these,  and  other  such 
cases,  you  will  be  perhaps  more  blamed  or  despised  by 
the  .generality,  than  commended  or  admired.  For  party 
men  will  usually  pardon  a  zealous  advocate  of  their 
party  for  many  great  faults,  more  readily  than  they 
will  pardon  the  virtue  of  standing  quite  aloof  from 
party,  and  doing  strict  justice  to  all. 

And,  again,  it  will  often  happen  that  when  a  man  of 
very  great  real  excellence  does  acquire  great  and  gen 
eral  esteem,  four  fifths  of  this  will  have  been  bestowed 
on  the  minor  virtues  of  his  character  ;  and  four  fifths  of 
his  admirers  will  have  either  quite  overlooked  the  most 
truly  admirable  of  his  qualities,  or  else  regarded  them 
.  as  pardonable  weaknesses. 

You  should  guard  then  against  the  opposite  dangers, 
of  either  lowering  your  own  moral  standard  to  the  level 
of  some  of  your  neighbors,  or  judging  too  hardly  of  them. 
Your  general  practical  rule  should  be,  to  expect  more 
of  yourself  than  of  others.  We  do  not,  of  course,  mean, 
that  you  should  ever  call  wrong  conduct  right.  But 
you  should  consider  that  that  which  would  be  a  very 
great  fault  in  you,  may  be  much  less  inexcusable  in 
some  others  who  have  not  had  the  same  advantages. 
You  should  be  reafly  to  make  allowances  for  want  of 
clearness  of  understanding,  or  for  defective  education, 
or  for  a  want  of  the  highest  and  best  examples.  Those 
may  be  really  trying  to  do  their  duty  according  to  the 
best  lights  they  have,  whose  moral  views  are,  on  some 


MISCELLANEOUS    CAUTIONS.  165 

points,  as  yet  but  dim  and  imperfect,  and  whose  conduct 
on  the  whole  falls  far  short  of  what  may  fairly  be  ex 
pected  —  and  will  be  expected  —  of  one  whose  moral 
judgment  is  more  enlightened,  and  his  standard  of  duty 
more  elevated. 


LESSON   XIX. 

SELF-EXAMINATIOX. PART    I. 

§  1.  —  Stated  Times  for  Self-Examination. 

EVERY  prudent  man  who  is  engaged  in  business  of 
any  kind,  besides  paying  careful  attention  to  that  busi 
ness  from  day  to  day,  will  also  set  aside  certain  stated 
times  for  looking  over  his  accounts,  and  examining  the 
whole  state  of  the  concern  he  is  carrying  on.  He  will 
do  this,  probably,  once  a  week ;  and  again,  more  par 
ticularly  and  thoroughly,  once  a  month,  or  once  a  quar 
ter  ;  and  most  fully  of  all,  at  the  end  of  each  year. 

Now  this  is  what  you  should  do  in  reference  to  your 
moral  character,  if  you  are  as  much  in  earnest  about  the 
improvement  of  that,  as  every  prudent  man  of  business 
is  about  his  worldly  success.  Besides  examining  your 
own  heart,  and  your  conduct,  daily,  you  should  also 
have  fixed  times  for  making  a  more  complete  review  of 
your  whole  life  and  character.  And  suitable  times  for 
such  self-examinations  you  can  fix  on,  for  yourself,  ac 
cording  to  your  own  convenience.  The  beginning  of  a 
new  year,  or  the  beginning  of  your  own  new  year  —  that 
is,  your  Birthday  —  are  very  proper  to  be  selected  for 
this  purpose.  So  also  is  the  anniversary  of  your  Con 
firmation  (which  may  be  called  your  religious  coming  of 
age),  or  of  any  other  remarkable  event  connected  with 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  167 

yourself.     And  so  also  is  any  of  the  great  Festivals  of 
the  Church,  such  as  Christmas-day,  or  Easter. 

But  whatever  day  you  fix  on  for  such  a  purpose,  you 
should  keep  to  it  strictly,  as  a  sort  of  private  religious 
festival ;  and  not  allow  yourself  to  be  tempted  to  put 
off,  without  some  strong  necessity,  your  proposed  self- 
examination,  on  the  ground  that  one  day  will  do  as  well 
as  another.  So  it  would,  originally ;  but  habits  of  reg 
ularity,  and  of  adherence  to  a  plan  once  fixed  on,  are 
of  great  importance.  For  if  you  learn  the  custom  of 
lightly  putting  off  till  to-morrow  what  you  had  fixed  on 
to-day  for  doing,  you  will  at  length  find  the  truth  of  the 
proverb,  that  "  To-morrow  comes  never." 

§  2.  —  Candor  in  Self-Examination. 

Our  Prayer-Book  directs  us  (in  one  of  the  exhorta 
tions  in  the  Communion  Service)  to  "  examine  our  con 
sciences,  and  that  not  lightly "  (negligently)  "  and  after 
the  manner  of  dissemblers  with  God."  Now  it  may 
seem  strange  that  there  should  be  any  need  even  to 
mention  such  a  thing  as  "  dissembling  with  God,"  — 
with  Him  who  sees  all  hearts.  But  though  it  is  im 
possible  to  deceive  Him,  it  is  possible,  and  easy,  for  us 
to  deceive  ourselves.  And  that  is  what  you  will  do,  if, 
in  examining  yourself,  you  proceed  just  as  men  do  who 
are  trying  to  deceive  their  fellow-mortals,  by  seeking  to 
justify  or  excuse  their  faults  ;  —  by  softening  down, 
or  passing  over,  some  of  the  worst  points,  and  seeking 
to  put  the  best  appearance  on  their  own  conduct,  and 
to  make  out  the  best  case  they  can  for  themselves.  If 
you  proceed  thus,  when  you  are  examining  yourself 
with  respect  to  your  duty,  you  will  completely  succeed 


168  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

in  deceiving  —  not  God  indeed  —  but  yourself.  You 
will  succeed,  perhaps,  in  quieting  your  conscience  ;  but 
not  in  correcting  your  faults,  and  purifying  your  heart, 
and  amending  your  life. 

But  no  one  proceeds  thus,  in  any  matter  in  which 
he  is  thoroughly  in  earnest,  A  careful  farmer  does 
not  try  to  persuade  himself  that  his  crops  and  his  cat 
tle  are  thriving,  but  to  judge  whether  they  really  are. 
He  does  not  try  to  overlook  any  weeds  that  may  be 
in  his  fields,  but  to  find  them,  in  order  to  root  them 
out.  And  a  diligent  shopkeeper  does  not  try  to  falsify 
his  accounts,  so  as  to  persuade  himself  that  his  trade 
is  prospering  more  than  it  really  is ;  but  to  learn  ex 
actly  what  is  the  real  state  of  his  affairs.  And  you 
will  proceed  in  the  same  manner  if  you  are  as  much 
in  earnest  about  "  laying  up  treasure  in  Heaven  "  as 
every  prudent  man  is  about  the  concerns  of  his  worldly 
business. 

You  should  observe,  too,  that  no  one  who  finds  his 
business  going  on  badly,  takes  comfort  in  the  thought 
that  some  of  his  neighbors'  concerns  are  in  a  still  worse 
condition,  and  that  they  are  farther  on  the  road  to  ruin 
than  himself.  He  knows  that  their  imprudences  and 
losses  will  not  save  him.  Do  not  therefore  satisfy 
yourself  with  finding,  or  fancying,  that  you  are  as 
good  as  many  others,  or  perhaps  better ;  but  consider 
whether  you  are  as  good  as  you  may  be,  and  ought  to 
be.  For  our  course  of  duty  is  not  like  a  race,  which 
is  won  by  him  who  runs  however  slowly,  if  the  rest  are 
still  slower.  Examine  therefore  yourself  rather  than 
your  neighbors  ;•  and  remember  that  the  greatest  faults 
of  theirs  are,  to  you,  of  less  consequence  than  a  much 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  1G9 

smaller  one  in  yourself;  both  because  it  is  for  this  you 
will  be  accountable,  and  because  it  rests  with  you  to 
correct  it. 

§  3.  —  Progress  in  Virtue  to  be  marked. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  importance  of  examining 
yourself  fairly,  and  not  seeking  to  conceal  from  yourself 
your  faults,  or  to  make  out  excuses  for  them.  But  do 
not  suppose  that  by  this  we  mean  that  you  should  look 
out  for  faults  only.  By  a  fair  self-examination,  we  do 
not  mean  an  inquiry  after  sins  and  defects  only,  without 
any  notice  being  taken  of  improvements;  —  without 
looking  out  for,  or  hoping  for,  any  "  growth  in  grace." 
On  the  contrary,  as  you  have  been  taught  to  strive 
and  to  pray  for  continual  advancement,  so  you  ought 
also  to  watch  for  it.  And  although,  as  was  formerly  ob 
served,  the  performance  of  any  particular  act  of  duty 
does  not,  of  itself,  and  as  such,  afford  positive  pleasure, 
but  merely  exemption  from  the  pain  of  self-reproach, 
still,  to  observe  an  improvement  in  virtuous  character, 
generally,  does  afford  pleasure.  And  this  is  a  kind  of 
pleasure  which  tends  to  encourage  our  efforts  towards 
improvement ;  and  which  was  doubtless  bestowed  by 
our  great  Master  for  that  very  purpose.  You  ought 
therefore  carefully  to  observe,  with  thankfulness  to  the 
Giver  of  all  good,  any  progress  you  may  have  made  in 
your  Christian  course.  There  is  no  benefit  you  ought 
so  much  to  rejoice  in,  or  to  be  so  thankful  for,  as  an 
increase  in  holiness  of  life  and  of  heart,  and  in  the 
knowledge  and  love  of  God.  Every  such  increase, 
therefore,  should  be  as  carefully  inquired  for,  as  any 
sins  you  may  have  committed.  And  whatever  improve- 
15 


170  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

ment  you  may  find  in  yourself  should  encourage  you 
to  fresh  hopes,  and  fresh  efforts  after  a  still  further  ad 
vance. 

You  may  perhaps  meet  with  some  well-meaning  per 
sons  who  will  advise  you  to  think  of  nothing  but  your 
sins  and  your  unworthiness  ;  and  in  all  your  self-ex 
amination  to  look  out  for  nothing  but  what  is  wrong ; 
without  ever  allowing  yourself  to  think  that  you  have 
made  any  improvement.  "  Every  one  is  so  much  in 
clined,"  they  say,  "  to  think  of  his  goodness  and  to  over 
look  his  sins,  that  we  ought  to  draw  men  as  far  as  pos 
sible  the  contrary  way,  and  advise  them  to  dwell  on 
the  thought  of  their  own  sinfulness,  and  on  nothing 
else." 

But  you  may  easily  see  that  this  is  quite  a  mistaken 
plan.  For  you  will  never  find  an  instance  of  any  one's 
continuing  very  long  to  labor  for  any  object,  when  he 
was  convinced  that  he  was  laboring  in  vain.  If,  for 
instance,  any  one  sets  himself  to  learn  some  science  or 
art,  and  finds,  after  very  attentive  study  for  a  considera 
ble  time,  that  he  makes  no  progress  at  all,  he  will  give 
it  up.  Some  will  persevere  longer  than  others  ;  but 
every  one  will  abandon  the  pursuit  as  soon  as  he  is 
fully  convinced  that  it  is  hopeless.  So  also,  a  man  en 
gaged  in  some  business,  if  he  finds,  after  a  long  trial, 
that,  instead  of  gaining  by  it,  he  is  losing,  and  that  there 
is  no  prospect  of  doing  any  better,  will  give  over  the 
business  altogether.  It  is  the  same  with  a  person 
taking  a  course  of  medicine  with  a  view  to  the  recovery 
of  his  health  ;  or  with  one  who  is  trying  to  bring  a 
piece  of  land  into  a  productive  state ;  and  with  other 
such  cases. 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  171 

And  so  it  is  with  respect  to  Christian  Virtue,  as  well 
as  everything  else. 

§  4.  —  Despair  leads  to  Neglect. 

Persons  may  begin  striving  (as  the  Apostle  Paul 
bids  us)  to  "  draw  nigh  unto  God,  that  He  may  draw 
nigh  unto  them  "  (James  iv.),  and  to  "  resist  the  Devil, 
that  he  may  flee  from  them  " ;  they  may  begin  an  en 
deavor  to  "  work  out  their  own  salvation "  (Philip- 
pians  ii.),  "casting  off  the  sin  that  besets  them"  (Heb. 
xii.),  and  "giving  all  diligence,  to  add  to  their  faith, 
virtue,  and  knowledge,  and  temperance,  patience,  god 
liness,  brotherly-kindness,  charity"  (2  Peter  i.).  They 
may  set  about  all  this  ;  but  if  they  are  convinced  that 
they  are  making  no  progress  in  it,  and  must  never  think 
of  making  any,  you  may  be  sure  that  they  will,  before 
long,  give  over  their  efforts.  They  will  either  fall  into 
gloomy  despondency,  or  else  (and  more  likely)  sit  down 
in  a  sort  of  careless  security;  fancying  that  there  is 
much  Christian  humility  in  saying  and  thinking  that 
there  is  no  good  in  them,  nor  ever  can  be  any.  They 
will  consider  what  the  Apostle  Paul  says  (Rom.  vii. )  of 
being  "  carnal  and  sold  under  sin,"  and  living  in  habit 
ual  disobedience  to  God's  laws,  as  meant  to  describe  the 
Apostle's  own  condition,  and,  of  course,  that  of  all  other 
the  very  best  Christians.  And  hence  they  will  con 
clude  that  it  is  vain  and  hopeless  for  them  to  strive 
against  sin ;  and  that  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  but 
to  throw  themselves  on  God's  mercy,  without  seeking  to 
avail  themselves  of  his  promised  help  to  "  bring  forth 
fruits  meet  for  repentance." 


172  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

§  5.  —  Virtuous  Progress  to  be  hoped  for. 

Let  no  one  therefore  persuade  you  to  distrust  God's 
promise  to  "give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him."  (Luke  xi.  13.)  Our  great  Master  has  said, 
"  Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  right 
eousness,  for  they  shall  be  jilted"  (Matt.  v.  G.)  If  you 
trust  in  Him,  and  really  mean  to  accept  his  gracious 
offers,  you  will  not  only  wish,  and  pray,  but  also  strive, 
and  hope,  for  continual  Christian  improvement.  And  of 
course  you  will  also  carefully  examine  yourself  from 
time  to  time,  to  observe  whether  this  improvement  does 
take  place  or  not.  Try  never  to  overlook  either  any 
fault,  or  any  improvement ;  and  never  attempt  to  de 
ceive  yourself  either  way,  by  saying  in  your  private 
confessions  and  prayers,  either  less,  or  more,  than  you 
sincerely  believe  to  be  the  truth.  And  especially,  you 
should  observe  whether  each  return  of  such  an  anni 
versary  as  you  may  have  fixed  on  (such  as  New-Year's- 
day,  or  your  Confirmation-day)  finds  you  a  better  Chris 
tian  than  the  last  ;  —  more  full  of  the  thoughts  and 
hopes  of  Heaven,  and  more  advanced  on  your  way 
thither. 

You  will  see,  in  the  Epistles,  that  this  is  the  way  the 
Apostles  proceeded  ;  expressing  joy  and  gratitude  for 
all  the  progress  their  converts  had  made,  and  their  hope 
that  this  would  be  an  encouragement  to  them  to  "  grow 
in  grace"  (2  Peter  iii.),  and  to  "  abound  more  and 
more"  (1  Thess.  iv.). 

And  you  should  seek  for,  and  watcli  for,  improvement 
in  your  motives,  as  well  as  in  your  outward  conduct. 
For  we  generally  act  from  a  mixture  of  motives ;  and 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  173 

some  of  these  motives,  even  when  not  wrong  in  them 
selves,  may  be  inferior  to  others.  Some  act,  for  in 
stance,  may  be  what  you  are  convinced  is  morally  right, 
and  also  such  as  will  gain  you  the  esteem  of  the  best 
men,  and  also  such  as  is  commanded  by  your  Divine 
Master,  and  well  pleasing  in  his  sight ;  and  it  may  be 
also  such  as  to  benefit  your  country,  and  thus  gratify 
your  feelings  of  patriotism.  There  will  then  be  several 
distinct  feelings,  all  tending  the  same  way.  And  it  is  a 
matter  on  which  you  should  take  great  pains  and  care 
in  self-examination,  to  observe  what  are  the  motives  on 
wjiich  you  act,  and  in  what  degree  each  of  them  oper 
ates,  and  to  strive  to  act  on  the  best  and  highest  motives. 


LESSON    XX. 

SELF-EXAMINATION. PART   II. 

§  1.  —  Christian  Knowledge. 

THE  point  in  which  you  can  the  most  easily  mark 
your  own  improvement  is  Christian  knowledge.  This  ^s 
indeed  only  the  means,  and  not  the  end,  of  a  Christian 
life.  For  the  more  you  know  of  your  duty,  if  you  do 
not  practise  it,  the  greater  is  your  sin.  "The  true 
knowledge  and  understanding  of  God's  Word,"  if  you 
do  not,  in  your  life,  "  set  it  forth  and  show  it  accord 
ingly,"  *  will  profit  you  nothing.  But  still  though  Chris 
tian  knowledge  be  the  least  part  of  the  Christian's  busi 
ness,  it  must  be  the  Jirst  part.  For  you  cannot  act  on 
Christian  principles  without  knowing  something  of  what 
your  religion  is.  And  moreover,  if  you  are  very  igno 
rant  of  it,  and  are  content  to  remain  so,  this  is  a  sign  that 
your  heart  is  not  engaged  in  God's  service.  For  if  any 
one  received  a  letter  from  his  father,  or  some  other 
friend  whom  he  professed  to  love  and  revere,  contain 
ing  directions  for  his  conduct,  and  yet  never  read  that 
letter  with  any  attention,  you  would  at  once  conclude 
that  his  professed  love  and  respect  were  not  real. 

If,  therefore,  you  do  feel  a  real  love  and  reverence  for 

*  Litany. 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  175 

your  Maker,  Redeemer,  and  Sanctifier,  you  will  study 
what  he  has  thought  fit  to  reveal  to  us.  And  you  will 
study  it,  not  as  a  task  which  you  dare  not  entirely  omit, 
but  as  a  high  honor  and  privilege.  You  will  also  not 
merely  "read,"  but  endeavor  to  "learn  and  inwardly 
digest,  the  Holy  Scriptures  " ;  not  as  if  it  were  a  virtu 
ous  act  to  go  through  a  certain  portion  of  Scripture ;  but 
with  the  same  attention  with  which  every  one  reads  any 
book  on  some  subject  in  which  he  takes  great  interest 
and  delight ;  not  for  the  sake  of  saying  that  he  has  been 
reading  it,  but  for  the  sake  of  gaining  valuable  instruc 
tion  and  information  from  it. 

§  2.  —  Scripture  to  be  studied  intelligently. 

If  then  you  read  with  a  view  to  improvement,  you 
will  not  be  satisfied  with  reading  —  or  even  learning  by 
heart  —  detached  passages,  single  verses,  or  single  chap 
ters,  —  taken  one  from  one  part  of  the  Bible,  and  an 
other  from  another.  He  who  studies  in  that  manner 
does  not  give  himself  a  fair  chance  of  taking  in  the  true 
and  full  sense  of  what  he  reads ;  even  if  it  be  one  single 
work  of  any  one  author  that  he  is  engaged  on.  But  the 
volume  which  we  call  the  Bible,  you  should  remember, 
is  not  properly  one  book,  but  several ;  written  at  very 
distant  times,  and  on  different  occasions.  Even  the  New 
Testament  alone  consists  of  more  than  twenty  distinct 
works,  addressed  •  by  the  Sacred  Writers  to  different 
classes  of  people.  And  the  Old  Testament  was  written 
for  the  use,  in  the  first  instance,  of  a  people  living  un 
der  a  dispensation  different  from  the  Gospel,  and  prepar 
atory  to  it. 

To  open  the  Bible,  therefore,  at  random,  and  take  the 


176  LESSONS'  ON    MORALS. 

first  passage  that  happens  to  meet  your  eye,  or  to  at 
tract  your  notice,  as  applicable  at  once  to  ourselves  now, 
and  as  a  suitable  guide  for  our  belief  and  practice,  would 
be  such  a  procedure  as  every  one  would  perceive  to  be 
absurd  in  any  like  case.  For  instance,  suppose  a  per 
son  had  received  from  a  wise  and  good  father  a  great 
number  of  instructive  letters,  from  the  time  when  he 
was  a  child,  barely  able  to  read,  till  he  was  a  grown  man, 
and  long  after ;  if  he  laid  by  these  letters  carefully,  but 
in  a  promiscuous  heap,  and  on  any  occasion  when  he 
needed  counsel  took  up  the  first  of  them  that  came  to 
hand,  as  containing  directions  for  his  conduct,  he  would 
be  accounted  a  mere  fool. 

In  order,  then,  to  read  profitably,  you  should,  in  your 
private  studies,  go  through  one  entire  work,  continuous 
ly  ;  one  of  the  Gospels,  for  instance,  or  one  of  the  Epis 
tles  ;  going  on  from  time  to  time  from  the  place  where 
you  had  left  off,  till  you  have  finished  the  book  you  had 
begun.  And  you  should  not  make  it  your  ordinary  prac 
tice  to  begin  and  end  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  a 
chapter,  but  wherever  there  is  a  convenient  break  in  the 
sense.  For  the  chapters  and  verses,  which  (as  was  re 
marked  above)  were  not  the  work  of  the  Sacred  Writ 
ers,  have  no  necessary  reference  to  their  sense,  but  often 
interrupt  it;  and  thus  often  obscure  the  meaning,  to 
those  who  consider  these  divisions  as  designed  by  the 
original  writers. 

§  3.  —  Practical  Study. 

But  of  all  the  cautions  to  be  observed  in  your  study  of 
Scripture,  the  most  important  is,  to  keep  in  view  your 
own  practical  benefit,  in  the  improvement  of  your  char- 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  177 

* 

acter  and  life.     For,  as  has  been  already  said,  the  more 
knowledge  you  have  of  what  is  right,  the   worse  you 
will  be,  if  you  do  not  strive  to  bring  that  knowledge  into 
practice.     It  is  not  merely  that  the  sin  is  greater  of 
that  "  servant  who  knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  did  it  not," 
but  also,  besides  this,  there  is  a  danger  of  your  becom 
ing  hardened  against  all  religious  impressions,  by  letting 
the  most  awful  and  awakening  thoughts  pass  through 
your  mind,  without  these  thoughts  being  accompanied 
with  an  effort  to  form  practical  habits  answering  to  those 
religious  impressions.     An  early  familiar  acquaintance 
with  Scripture,  without  reference  to  practice,  leads  to 
the  danger  (as  was  formerly  remarked,  Lesson  XI.)  point 
ed  at  by  the  proverb,  that  "  Familiarity  breeds  con 
tempt."     The  oftener  any  impression  on  the  mind  is  re 
peated,  the  less  forcible  it  becomes.   The  more  frequent 
ly  any  thought  comes  before  us,  the  less  strongly  does  it 
excite  us.     So  that  the  more  you  are  accustomed  to 
think  and  talk  about  Religion,  and  about  Moral  Duty,  if 
you  do  not  at  the  same  time  strive  to  acquire  a  practical 
habit  of  acting  accordingly,  the  more  insensible   you 
will  become  to  all  good  impressions.     And,  on  the  other 
hand,  if  you  do  strive  to  bring  your  principles  into  prac 
tice,  you  will  find  the  practice  become  easier  and  easier. 
It  is  so  in  all  other  matters,  as  well  as  in  Religion  and 
Morality.     A  mariner,  for  instance,  who  has  been  long 
at  sea,  is  very  little  affected  by  the  terrible  appearance 
of  a  storm,  compared  with  what  you  would  be  if  you 
were  in  a  storm  at  sea  for  the  first  time.     And  for  the 
same  reason,  that  is,  from  long  custom,  he  goes  about 
his  duty  in  the  ship  actively  and  coolly;  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  tempest  exerts  his  skill  and  strength  in  do- 


178  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

j» 

ing  whatever  is  required,  with  that  readiness  which  is 
the  fruit  of  long  habit.  And  in  other  cases  also  you 
may  see  the  same  effects  produced  by  practice.  In  short, 
you  have  only  to  keep  in  mind  the  well-known  maxim, 
that  "  Practice  makes  perfect." 

But  you  should  also  take  care  to  avoid  the  mistake, 
formerly  noticed,  of  those  who  expect  to  learn  one  thing 
by  practising  another.  Remember,  therefore,  what  was 
there  said  (Lesson  XI.)  of  the  opposite  habits  that  may 
be  acquired  by  being  accustomed  to  the  same  things ;  as, 
for  instance,  by  two  persons  each  accustomed  to  the 
sound  of  a  certain  bell ;  one  of  whom  learns  to  sleep 
quietly  through  the  ringing,  and  another  to  be  instantly 
roused  by  it.  By  merely  reading  and  hearing  and  talk 
ing  about  Virtue  or  Religion,  you  will  acquire  a 
habit  of  talking,  etc.,  without  doing ;  and  by  continued 
efforts  to  impress  on  your  heart  what  you  learn,  and  set 
it  forth  in  your  conduct  and  character,  you  will  acquire 
a  habit  of  "being  a  doer  of  God's  "Word,  and  not  a 
hearer  only,  deceiving  your  own  self."  (James  i.) 

§  4.  —  Outward  Acts  not  the  only  Virtuous  Practice. 

You  are  not  to  suppose,  however,  that  some  outward 
act  is  always  required  in  order  to  form  a  practical  hab 
it  ;  and  that  you  must  wait  for  an  opportunity  of  per- . 
forming  what  are  called  "  good  works."  Virtuous  acts 
are  acts  of  the  mind.  An  earnest  endeavor  to  fix  on 
your  heart  the  examples  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  and 
to  form  your  character  on  that  pattern,  is,  itself,  virtuous 
practice.  There  is  real  active  virtue  in  forming  a 
hearty  good  resolution,  with  earnest  prayer  for  divine 
help  to  keep  it.  Every  effort  to  "  set  your  affection  on 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  179 

things  above,  not  on  things  on  the  earth"  (Col.  iii.  2)  ; 
every  earnest  struggle  against  ill-temper,  pride,  or 
envy,  —  against  coveteousness,  —  against  sensual  de 
sires,  and  every  kind  of  evil  thoughts ;  every  inward 
effort  to  cultivate  a  kind  and  forbearing,  a  pure,  and 
holy,  and  truly  Christian  disposition  ;  —  every  such  effort 
is  virtuous  practice.  And  thus,  even  when  you  are  not 
performing  any  outward  acts,  (there  being,  at  the  mo 
ment,  no  opportunity,)  you  may  be  gaining  practical 
habits,  which  will  not  fail  to  show  themselves  in  action 
when  opportunities  do  occur. 

In  fact,  outward  actions  (as  has  been  formerly  ob 
served  in  Lesson  V.)  are  not  properly  virtuous  or  vi 
cious  at  all,  except  as  they  are  the  signs  of  the  inward 
dispositions.  And  accordingly,  when  the  Apostle  Paul 
is  enumerating  the  "  fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  he  makes  men 
tion  of  nothing  but  the  dispositions :  "  The  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  goodness,  gen 
tleness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance,  patience,  and  such 
like."  (Gal.  v.  22.)  He  well  knew  —  as  indeed  every 
one  must  know  —  what  kind  of  outward  conduct  such 
dispositions  will  lead  to. 

§  5.  —  Advice  of  Friends. 

What  has  been  said  as  to  the  importance  of  reading 
and  listening  with  a  view  to  practical  improvement  will, 
of  course,  apply  not  merely  to  the  Scriptures,  but  to  any 
other  useful  books ;  and  likewise  to  any  good  instruc 
tion  you  may  receive  from  Christian  ministers,  or  from 
other  friends. 

It  was  formerly  remarked  that  the  counsel  of  a 
worthy  and  judicious  friend  will  often  be  of  great  ser- 


180  LESSONS    ON   MORALS. 

vice  in  guarding  you  against  self-deception,  and  point 
ing  out  to  you  some  things  which  you  may  yourself 
have  overlooked.  And  such  a  friend  may  sometimes 
be  able  also  to  give  useful  advice  for  the  correction  of 
your  faults.  For  this  purpose  it  will  sometimes  be  ne 
cessary  that  you  should  unbosom  yourself  to  him,  and 
confess  some  things  which  he  could  not  otherwise  know. 
But  such  confessions  should  be  with  a  view  to  consulta 
tion.  As  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins  against  God,  it  is 
God  alone  that  can  grant  that.  And,  therefore,  a  full 
and  complete  confession  of  all  the  sins  you  are  conscious 
of  should  be  made  to  Him,  and  not  to  any  human  be 
ing.  The  contrary  practice  does  much  more  harm  to 
the  moral  character  than  good. 

Of  course,  if  you  are  conscious  of  having  wronged  any 
one,  you  should  confess  your  fault  to  him,  and  ask  his 
pardon.  And  it  may  now  and  then  happen,  that,  in 
giving  advice  to  another,  you  may  find  it  useful  to  tell 
him  of  some  error  you  had  yourself  fallen  into,  in  order 
that  he  may  take  warning  from  your  example.  But  in 
seeking,  through  the  aid  of  a  friend,  the  improvement 
of  your  own  character,  you  should  confine  yourself  to 
these  two  cases:  (1.)  when  you  are  conscious  of  some 
failing,  and  wish  for  advice  as  to  the  best  way  of  curing 
it ;  and  (2.)  when  you  are  in  doubt  whether  something 
you  have  done  be  right  or  wrong,  and  wish  for  a  judi 
cious  friend's  opinion  on  the  question.  In  all  other 
matters,  confessions  of  sin  should  be  made  to  God  only. 

§  G.  —  Signs  of  Progress. 

If  you  persevere,  in  such  a  course  of  practical  study 
as  has  been  recommended,  it  may  be  hoped  that,  through 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  181 

divine  aid,  you  will  find  in  your  self-examinations,  from 
time  to  time,  a  continual  "  growth  in  grace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  your  Lord  and  Saviour."  And  when  you 
do  find  this,  you  should,  with  all  thankfulness  for  it, 
draw  fresh  encouragement  from  it,  for  renewed  efforts 
after  a  still  further  growth.  "  I  count  not  myself,"  says 
the  Apostle  Paul,  "  to  have  apprehended  ;  but  this  one 
thing  I  do  ;  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind, 
and  reaching  forth  unto  those  that  are  before,  I  press 
towards  the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus."  And  if,  in  any  of  these  examina 
tions,  you  are  struck  with  the  consciousness  of  some 
faults  or  deficiencies  which  you  had  not  perceived  in 
yourself  before,  be  not  disheartened  at  this,  unless  you 
find  that  they  really  are  faults  newly  sprung  up.  If  in 
deed  you  do  find,  on  a  candid  survey  of  your  own  con 
duct  and  character,  that  you  have  been  led  into  some 
sin  of  which  you  had  not  been  guilty  before,  and  that 
you  have  been  falling  back  instead  of  advancing,  this, 
certainly,  is  a  just  cause  of  alarm.  But  if  it  be  only 
that  you  are  become  conscious  for  the  first  time  of  defi 
ciencies  or  sins  which  had  existed  before,  but  which  you 
had  overlooked,  this  (as  has  been  above  remarked,  Les 
son  XL)  is  a  promising  sign.  It  is  a  sign  that  your 
spiritual  discernment  is  improved,  —  your  moral  stand 
ard  raised,  —  your  estimate  of  the  Christian  character  be 
come  more  just.  For  what  you  ought  to  seek  for  is,  not 
the  most  quiet  conscience,  —  the  conscience  that  is  the 
most  easily  satisfied  ;  but  a  tender  conscience,  a  watch 
ful  conscience,  an  upright  and  well-regulated  conscience. 
And  you  must  expect  that,  as  your  conscience  improves} 
16 


182  LESSONS    ON    MORALS. 

in  all  this,  it  will  show  you  defects  that  were  before 
overlooked. 

When  the  sun's  rays  (as  was  formerly  observed)  are 
admitted  into  a  room  that  had  been  half  darkened,  and 
kept  in  a  slovenly  state,  you  will  see  clouds  of  dust 
floating  in  the  air  which  before  were  unseen ;  and  va 
rious  stains  of  dirt  will  appear  which  were  before  un 
noticed.  The  light  which  is  let  in  does  not  increase  the 
impurities,  but  only  makes  them  manifest.  And  this 
excites  and  enables  a  person  who  has  a  regard  for  neat 
ness  to  cleanse  them  away. 

And  so  it  is  with  spiritual  and  moral  light.  It  en 
ables  us  to  see  better  and  better  what  is  impure  and 
faulty  in  our  own  hearts,  in  order  that,  by  the  promised 
help  of  God's  Spirit,  we  may  proceed  in  the  work  of 
purifying  them. 

But  though  you  must  (as  was  above  said)  carefully 
watch  for  faults,  and  frankly  confess  to  God  all  that 
you  are  conscious  of,  without  seeking  to  soften  them 
down,  you  should  never  confess  more  than  you  really 
are  conscious  of.  There  is  no  real  humility  in  using 
language  of  very  strong  self-condemnation  beyond  what 
you  feel  to  be  just.  Even  if  it  really  be  in  itself  true, 
still  it  is  not  true  for  you,  unless  you  feel  it  to  be  so. 
And  you  should  above  all  things  cultivate  a  habit  of 
perfect  sincerity;  universally,  and  not  least  in  your 
communings  with  God.  A  person  would  be  in  a  less 
hopeful  state  who  should  have  accustomed  himself  to 
say  more  than  he  really  feels,  (though  it  may,  perhaps, 
be  no  more  than  the  truth,)  than  one  who  has  confessed 
but  the  half  of  his  real  sins,  but  has  said  neither  more 
nor  less  than  what  he  really  thinks  and  feels.  For  this 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  183 

latter,  if  he  prays  for  God's  enlightening  Spirit,  will 
hereafter  come  to  know  himself  better ;  while  the  other 
will  have  learnt  the  habit  of  saying  what  he  does  not 
really  believe. 

§  7.  —  Heads  of  Self-Examinution. 

Several  heads  of  self-examination  you  can  draw  out 
for  yourself  from  the  foregoing  Lessons.  But  if  we 
were  to  say  everything  that  is  to  the  purpose  on  the 
subject,  we  should  have  to  go  through  the  whole  of  a 
Christian's  duties,  and  trials,  and  temptations ;  since  on 
all  of  these  it  is  needful  for  him  to  examine  himself. 
But  it  has  been  thought  best  to  offer  only  a  few  hints  on 
some  of  the  most  important  points  ;  namely,  (1.)  on  the 
importance  of  a  candid  inquiry  after  faults  ;  (2.)  on 
looking  out  for  signs  of  improvement ;  (3.)  on  a  right 
advancement  in  Christian  knowledge  ;  (4.)  on  the  prac 
tical  application  of  what  you  learn ;  (5.)  an  attention 
to  motives  and  dispositions  as  well  as  to  outward  acts ; 
(G.)  on  the  use  to  be  made  of  the  advice  of  friends  ; 
and  (7.)  on  that  increased  insight  into  your  own 
defects,  which  you  may  expect  to  acquire  as  you 
advance. 


CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES 


16* 


CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 


LESSON  I. 

FIRST   RISE    OF    CHRISTIANITY. 

§  1.  SUPPOSING  you  were  asked  the  question  how  you 
came  to  be  a  Christian,  perhaps  you  would  answer  that  it 
is  because  you  were  born  and  brought  up  in  a  Christian 
country,  and  that  your  parents  were  Christians,  and  had 
taught  you  to  believe  that  the  Christian  religion  is  true. 
And  if,  again,  your  parents  were  asked  the  same  ques 
tion,  perhaps  they  might  give  the  same  answer.  They 
might  say,  that  their  parents  had  brought  them  up  as 
Christians ;  and  so  on. 

But  you  know  that  it  cannot  always  have  been  so. 
You  know  that  the  Christian  religion  had  a  beginning. 
You  know  that  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  their 
followers,  went  about  among  various  nations,  making 
converts  to  his  religion,  among  people  who  had  been 
worshippers  of  the  Sun  and  Moon,  and  of  various  false 
gods.  Our  forefathers  were  among  those  nations.  In 
former  days,  the  people  of  these  Islands  were  what 
we  call  Heathen,  or  Pagans ;  that  is,  worshippers  of  a 
number  of  supposed  gods,  whom  they  believed  to  govern 


188  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

the  world,  and  to  whom  they  offered  sacrifices  and 
prayers.  We  have  among  us  a  kind  of  monument  of 
this,  in  the  names  of  the  days  of  the  week  ;  each  day 
having  been  sacred  to  some  one  of  their  gods.  Thus, 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  which  we  sometimes  call  the 
Lord's  day,  in  honor  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  still  keeps  also  the  name  of  Sunday,  from  its  hav 
ing  been  dedicated,  in  former  times,  to  the  worship  of 
the  Sun;  as  Monday  was  to  the  Moon;  Tuesday  to 
Tuesco,  the  god  of  war ;  Wednesday  to  Woden ;  Thurs 
day  to  Thor ;  and  so  of  the  rest. 

Now  our  forefathers,  who  were  worshippers  of  these 
gods,  would  have  told  any  one  who  might  have  questioned 
them  on  the  subject,  that  this  was  the  religion  of  their 
country,  and  what  they  had  learned  from  their  parents. 
And  at  the  present  day  there  are  many  nations  still  in 
the  same  condition  with  our  forefathers ;  among  others, 
great  numbers  of  our  fellow-subjects  in  the  British  do 
minions,  in  the  East  Indies,  have  been  brought  up  as 
Pagans,  and  worship  various  false  gods.  And,  again, 
there  are  many  who  are  followers  of  Mohammed,  whom 
they  hold  to  be  a  prophet  superior  to  Jesus  Christ. 

§  2.  Now  what  I  want  you  to  consider  is  this :  Have 
you  any  better  reason  for  believing  in  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion,  than  a  Mohammedan  has  for  believ 
ing  in  his  religion,  or  the  Pagans  in  theirs  ?  And  do 
you  think  you  can  learn,  and  ought  to  learn,  to  give  some 
better  reason  ?  They  believe  what  their  parents  have 
told  them,  merely  for  that  reason,  and  because  it  is  the  re 
ligion  of  their  country,  and  the  wisest  men  of  the  nation 
have  told  them  it  is  true.  If  you  are  content  to  do  the 
same,  then,  though  there  may  be  a  great  difference  be- 


FIRST    RISE    OF    CHRISTIANITY.  189 

tween  your  religion  and  theirs,  there  is  no  difference  at 
all  in  the  grounds  of  your  belief  and  of  theirs.  If  ten 
persons,  for  example,  all  hear  different  accounts  of  some 
transaction,  and  each  believes  just  what  he  happens  to 
hear  from  his  next  neighbor,  then,  if  nine  of  those  ac 
counts  are  false,  and  one  true,  he  who  chances  to  have 
heard  the  true  one  is  right  only  by  accident,  and  has  no 
better  grounds  for  his  belief  than  the  rest.  In  the  same 
manner,  if  several  different  persons  hold  each  the  relig 
ion  of  their  fathers,  and  have  no  other  reason  for  doing 
so  than  because  it  is  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  then, 
though  one  of  them  may  happen  to  believe  a  true  relig 
ion  and  the  rest  false  ones,  it  is  plain  he  has  no  better 
grounds  for  his  belief  than  they.  What  he  believes 
may  be  in  itself  right ;  but  we  cannot  say  that  he  is 
more  right  in  so  believing  it,  than  the  others  are  in  be 
lieving  as  they  do. 

§  3.  Now  do  you  think  it  is  the  duty  of  each  man  to 
keep  to  the  religion  of  his  fathers,  without  seeking  any 
proofs  of  its  being  true,  but  satisfied  with  merely  taking 
it  on  trust,  because  his  teachers  have  told  him  so  ?  If 
so,  our  forefathers  would  have  been  wrong  in  renouncing 
their  Pagan  religion,  and  embracing  Christianity.  They 
had  been  brought  up  in  the  worship  of  the  Sun,  and 
Moon,  and  Woden,  and  their  other  gods ;  and  so  had 
the  ancient  Greeks,  and  Romans,  to  whom  the  Apostles 
preached.  This  had  been  the  long-established  religion 
of  their  country,  handed  down  to  them  from  their  fore 
fathers,  many  of  whom  were  great  statesmen,  and  wise 
and  learned  writers  ;  and  if  this  had  been  a  sufficient 
reason  for  their  keeping  to  it  without  inquiry,  they 
would  have  been  bound  to  reject  the  Gospel,  and  con 
tinue  Pagans. 


190  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

And  this  we  know  is  what  many  of  them  did  ;  refus 
ing  to  listen  to  the  Apostles  and  others,  who  offered 
them  proof  that  the  Christians  had  "  not  followed  cun 
ningly  devised  fables  in  making  known  to  them  the 
coming  and  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (2  Peter 
i.  1 G.)  Now  we  cannot  think  these  men  acted  more 
wisely  than  those  Pagans  who  set  themselves  to  inquire 
what  was  true,  and  who  did  embrace  Christianity. 

§  4.  These  last  must  have  had  strong  reasons  for  do 
ing  as  they  did.  It  could  not  have  been  from  love  of 
change  for  its  own  sake,  or  mere  idle  whim ;  for  we 
know  that  many  of  them  had  to  face  ridicule,  and  blame, 
and  sometimes  persecution,  from  their  friends  and  coun 
trymen.  And,  what  is  more,  they  had  to  change  their 
mode  of  life,  and  to  renounce,  on  becoming  Christians, 
many  evil  habits  which  had  been  tolerated  in  the  Pa 
gan  religions.  For  we  find  the  Apostles  —  Paul  es 
pecially  —  speaking  often  of  the  abominable  vices  in 
which  the  Pagans  had  been  accustomed  to  indulge,  and 
which  the  converts  to  Christianity  were  required  to  ab 
stain  from. 

Now  it  must  be  a  difficult  thing  for  a  man  to  bring  him 
self  to  throw  off  (as  the  early  converts  to  Christianity 
must  have  done)  his  early  habits,  and  his  veneration  for 
the  gods  of  his  country,  in  whose  worship  he  had  been 
brought  up,  and  his  reverence  for  wise,  and  illustrious, 
and  powerful  men  among  his  countrymen,  and  his  re 
gard  for  the  good  opinion  of  his  neighbors,  and  also  his 
care  for  his  own  peace  and  safety.  Yet  all  this  must 
have  been  done  by  many  of  those  of  our  forefathers,  and 
other  Pagans,  who  first  embraced  the  Christian  religion. 
They  must,  therefore,  have  had  a  strong  conviction  of 


FIRST   RISE    OF    CHRISTIANITY.  191 

the  truth  of  the  religion;  not  from  their  having  been 
brought  up  in  it,  as  you  were ;  for  it  was  quite  the  con 
trary  with  them;  but  for  some  other  reason.  They 
must  have  had  some  convincing  evidence  of  its  truth ; 
or  else  we  may  be  sure  they  would  not  have  received  it. 

And  these  men  could  not  have  been  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel  by  any  such  experience  as  many 
Christians  have  of  that  inward  consolation  and  peace  of 
mind,  and  enlightening  of  the  understanding,  produced 
by  their  religion  :  which  affords  them  a  satisfactory  as 
surance  of  its  coming  from  God.  For  those  who  had 
not  embraced  Christianity  could  not  have  had  this  ex 
perience.  And  yet  some  convincing  proofs  they  must 
have  had,  to  lead  them  to  embrace  it,  in  spite  of  so 
many  prejudices,  and  so  many  difficulties. 

§  5.  And  it  appears  that  they  were  taught  by  the 
Apostles  not  only  to  have  a  reason,  bi\t  also  to  be  able 
to  give  a  reason  to  others,  for  the  faith  which  they  held. 
Be  "  ready  always,"  says  the  Apostle  Peter,  "  to  give  an 
answer  [or  defence]  to  every  one  that  asketh  a  reason 
of  the  hope  that  is  in  you."  And  it  does  certainly  seem 
very  fair  that  they  should  be  asked  by  their  neighbors, 
and  should  be  expected  to  answer  the  question,  "  Why 
do  you  renounce  the  gods  of  the  country,  and  embrace 
the  religion  of  this  Jesus,  and  call  on  us  to  do  the 
same  ?  "  This,  I  say,  would  appear  a  very  fair  question 
to  be  asked  of  persons  living  in  the  midst  of  Pagans, 
and  educated  as  such. 

But  perhaps  you  may  think  this  was  not  at  all  intend 
ed  to  apply  to  you  who  have  had  the  happiness  of  being 
brought  up  in  a  Christian  country.  You  should  remem 
ber,  however,  that  you  may  some  time  or  other  chance 


192  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

to  meet  with  some  of  these  Pagans,  or  Mohammedans, 
whom  we  have  been  speaking  of;  to  some  of  whom  we 
have  sent  missionaries  to  convert  them.  And  besides 
this,  you  may  hereafter  meet  with  persons  of  our  own 
nation,  who  doubt  or  disbelieve  the  truth  of  Christian 
ity  ;  and  their  doubt  or  disbelief  is  likely  to  be  very 
much  strengthened,  if  they  find  that  you  have  no  better 
reason  for  being  Christians  than  the  Turks  have  for 
being  Mohammedans,  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans 
for  worshipping  Jupiter,  or  our  own  forefathers  for 
serving  Thor  and  Woden;  namely,  that  such  is  the 
religion  of  the  country.  They  will  be  apt  to  say: 
"  These  religions  cannot  be  all  true  ;  but  they  may  be 
all  equally  false ;  they  are,  perhaps,  only  so  many  dif 
ferent  forms  of  superstition  in  which  the  people  of  dif 
ferent  countries  have  been  brought  up,  and  which  they 
all  believe  in,  each  because  they  have  been  brought  up 
in  it,  without  seeking  for  any  other  reason." 

§  6.  The  Apostle's  direction,  therefore,  you  may 
be  sure,  applies  to  all  Christians  in  every  age  and 
country.  It  "is  needful  for  all  of  them  to  be  able  to 
give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  them.  And  among 
others,  you  may  give  as  one  reason,  what  I  have  just 
put  before  you  ;  that  those  who  first  embraced  Chris 
tianity,  renouncing  for  it,  as  they  did,  their  early  preju 
dices,  and  their  habits,  and  often  their  friends,  and  their 
comfort  and  safety  in  this  world,  must  have  had  some 
strong  evidence  to  convince  them  that  it  was  true.  It  is 
not  merely  from  the  Christian  writers  of  the  New  Testa 
ment  that  we  learn  how  much  those  persons  had  to  bear 
and  to  do  who  embraced  the  Gospel ;  heathen  writers 
record  the  persecutions  under  which  they  suffered.  "We 


FIRST    RISE    OF    CHRISTIANITY.  193 

may  be  sure,  even  from  the  very  nature  of  the  case, 
how  great  their  difficulties  must  have  been.  And  there 
fore  we  could  feel  no  doubt,  that  when  they  did  become 
Christians,  it  must  have  been  on  some  strong  reasons, 
even  though  we  had  no  knowledge  what  these  reasons 
were. 

It  is  possible  for  us,  however,  to  inquire,  and  to  learn 
what  the  reasons  were  which  satisfied  them  of  the  truth 
of  the  religion.  And  it  must,  therefore,  be  a  duty,  for 
all  who  have  the  opportunity,  to  learn  what  proofs  it 
rests  on ;  that  they  may  be  "  ready  to  give  an  answer 
to  those  that  ask  them  a  reason  of  their  hope."  And 
you  shall  observe,  also,  that  the  Apostles  not  only  re 
quired  their  converts  to  be  ready  to  give  a  reason,  but 
must  themselves  have  supplied  them  with  reasons ;  since 
they  could  not  have  made  them  converts,  without  of 
fering  proofs  to  satisfy  them  that  the  religion  was 
true. 

And  this  is  one  point  which  distinguishes  the  Chris 
tian  religion  from  those  of  the  Pagans  ;  for  it  does  not 
appear  that  any  of  these  religions  ever  made  any  appeal 
to  proof,  or  claimed  to  be  received  except  from  their 
being  the  ancient  established  belief  of  the  country. 
Ttie  Christian  religion  was  brought  in,  in  opposition 
to  all  these,  by  means  of  the  reasons  given,  —  the  evi 
dence,  which  convinced  the  early  Christians  that  the 
religion  did  truly  come  from  God.  It  must  there 
fore  be  the  duty  of  Christians  to  learn  what  that  evi 
dence  is. 


17 


LESSON    II. 

FAITH   AND    CREDULITY. 

§  1.  OUR  forefathers,  and  the  other  Pagans  who  em 
braced  the  Gospel,  must  have  had  some  strong  reasons 
to  bring  them  to  shake  off  their  habits  of  life,  their  early 
prejudices,  and  their  veneration  for  the  gods  they  had 
been  brought  up  to  worship,  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and 
his  religion,  which  were  new  to  them.  But  perhaps 
you  may  suppose  that  their  ancient  religions  also  must 
have  been  embraced  by  their  forefathers  in  the  same 
manner ;  that  the  worship  of  the  Sun,  and  Moon,  and 
Jupiter,  and  the  rest  of  their  gods,  must  have  been  first 
brought  in  by  strong  proofs,  —  at  least  by  what  were 
thought  to  be  strong  proofs. 

But  this  does  not  appear  to  have  been  the  case. 
"We  have  no  accounts  of  the  first  origin  of  the  Pagan 
religions ;  and  it  is  likely  that  no  one  of  them  was  ever 
brought  in  all  at  once,  but  that  these  various  supersti 
tions  crept  in  little  by  little,  and  religion  became  grad 
ually  corrupted,  as  men  lost  more  and  more  that  knowl 
edge  of  the  one  true  God,  which  we  suppose  to  have 
been  originally  revealed.  This,  at  least,  is  certain,  that 
it  was  not  even  pretended  that  these  religions  rested 
on  any  evidence  worth  listening  to.  A  Pagan's  reason 
for  holding  his  religion  is,  and  always  was,  that  it 


FAITH   AND    CREDULITY.  195 

had  been  handed  down  from  his  ancestors.  They  did, 
indeed,  relate  many  miracles,  said  to  have  been  wrought 
through  their  gods  ;  but  almost  all  of  these  they  spoke 
of  as  having  been  wrought  among  people  who  were 
already  worshippers  of  those  gods,  not  as  having  been 
the  means  of  originally  bringing  in  the  religion.  And 
all  the  Pagan  miracles  they  believed  merely  because 
these  were  a  part  of  the  religion  which  they  had  learned 
from  their  fathers.  They  never  even  pretended  to 
give  any  proof  that  these  miracles  "had  ever  been  per 
formed. 

§  2.  The  pretended  prophet  Mohammed  did  indeed 
found  a  new  religion,  which  spread  very  rapidly  and 
widely  under  him  and  his  followers.  But  his  religion 
Avas  propagated,  not  by  evidence,  but  by  the  sword.  At 
the  head  of  a  small  number  of  valiant  warriors,  he 
gained  victories,  which  enabled  him  and  his  successors 
to  collect  larger  and  larger  armies,  and  with  these  they 
subdued  extensive  regions,  forcing  the  conquered  people 
everywhere  to  acknowledge  the  Mohammedan  faith,  on 
pain  of  death  or  bondage.  But  the  Mohammedan 
religion  never  made  way  (as  Christianity  did)  in  any 
country  in  which  its  opponents  had  the  chief  power, 
and  were  disposed  to  resist.  And  Mohammed  never 
pretended  to  perform  any  miracles  as  signs  of  his  com 
ing  from  God.  His  pretended  visions,  and  ascent  to 
heaven,  and  visits  from  angels,  which  he  relates  in  the 
book  called  the  Koran,  were  not  even  pretended  to 
have  been  shown  openly,  as  proofs  to  convince  unbe 
lievers,  but  were  to  be  received  by  the  believers  in  Mo 
hammed,  on  his  bare  word.  With  the  Mohammedans, 
in  short,  (as  with  the  Pagans,)  the  religion  did  not  rest 


196  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

on  the  miracles,  but  the  miracles  rested  on  the  religion. 
Those  who  believed  the  religion,  believed  the  miracles 
as  a  part  of  the  religion,  but  not  as  a  proof  of  it.  In 
fact,  no  such  proof  was  ever  even  attempted  to  be  offered 
of  these  religions. 

The  Christian  religion  was  distinguished  from  these 
by  its  resting  on  evidence,  —  by  its  offering  a  reason, 
and  requiring  Christians  to  be  able  to  give  a  reason  for 
believing  it. 

§  3.  Some  persons,  however,  have  a  notion  that  it 
is  presumptuous  for  a  Christian  —  at  least  for  an  un 
learned  Christian  —  to  seek  any  proof  of  the  truth  of 
his  religion.  They  suppose  that  this  would  show  a 
want  of  faith.  They  know  that  faith  is  often  and  highly 
commended  in  Scripture  as  the  Christian's  first  duty; 
and  they  fancy  that  this  faith  consists  in  a  person's 
readily  and  firmly  believing  what  is  told  him,  and  trust 
ing  in  every  promise  that  is  made  to  him ;  and  that  the 
less  reason  he  has  for  believing  and  for  trusting,  and 
the  less  he  doubts,  and  inquires,  and  seeks  grounds 
for  his  belief  and  his  confidence,  the  more  faith  he 
•  shows. 

*But  this  is  quite  a  mistake.     The  faith  which  the 
Christian  Scriptures  speak  of  and  commend,  is  the  very 
contrary  of  that  blind  sort  of  belief  and  trust  which  does 
not  rest  on  any  good  reason.     This  last  is  more  prop 
erly  called  credulity  than  faith.     When  a  man  believes 
without  evidence,  or  against  evidence,  he  is_what  we_ 
rightly  call  credulous.     But  he  is  never  commended  4ep 
this :  on  the  contrary,  we  often  find  in  Scripture ~mexfc_ 
tion  made  of  persons  who  are  reproached  for  their  un 
belief  or  want  of  faith,  precisely  on  account  of  their. 


FAITH   AND    CREDULITY.  197 


showing  tin's  k^'l  nf  m^^nV^.j  •  thnt  is;  not  judging  fairly 
according;  to  the  evidence*  but  resolving  to  lffilipXTO  ™uy 

what  was  agreeable  to  tlieir  prejudices,  mid  to  trust  any 
one.  jorha  flattered  those  prejudices. 

§  4.  This  was  the  case  with  those  of  the  ancient 
Heathen  who  refused  to  forsake  the  worship  of  the  Sun 
and  Moon,  and  of  Jupiter  and  Diana,  and  their  other 
gods.  Many  of  the  Ephesians  (as  you  read  in  the 
Book  of  Acts)  raised  a  tumult  against  Paul,  in  their 
zeal  for  their  "goddess  Diana,  and  the  image  which 
fell  'down  from  Jupiter."  Now  if  a  man's  faith  is 
to  be  reckoned  the  greater,  the  less  evidence  he  has 
for  believing,  these  men  must  have  had  greater 
faith  than  any  one  who  received  the  Gospel;  because 
they  believed  in  their  religion  without  any  evidence 
at  all. 

But  what  our  sacred  writers  mean  by  faith  is  quite 
different  from  this.  When  they  commend  a  man's 
faith,  it  is  because  he  listens  fairly  to  evidence,  and 
judges  according  to  the  reasons  laid  before  him.  The 
difficulty  and  the  virtue  of  faith  consists  in  a  man's  be 
lieving  and  trusting,  not  against  evidence,  but  against 
his  expectations  and  prejudices,  against  his  inclinations, 
and  passions,  and  interests.  We  read,  accordingly, 
that  Jesus  offered  sufficient  proof  of  his  coming  from 
God  ;  He  said,  the  works  (the  miracles)  that  I  do 
in  my  Father's  name,  (by  my  Father's  authority,) 
they  bear  witness  of  me.  If  you  believe  not  me,  be 
lieve  the  works  ;  that  is,  if  you  have  not  the  heart 
to  feel  the  purity  and  holiness  of  what  I  teach,  at  least 
you  should  allow,  that  "  no  man  can  do  such  miracles, 
except  God  be  with  him." 
17* 


198  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

§  5.  But  we  are  told,  that  "  for  all  He  had  done  so 
many  miracles  among  them,  yet  did  they  not  believe  on 
Him."  They  acknowledged  that  he  wrought  mira 
cles  ;  as  the  unbelieving  Jews  acknowledge  at  the 
present  day.  But  they  had  expected  that  the  Christ 
[or  Messiah]  whom  they  looked  for  should  come  in 
great  worldly  power  and  splendor,  as  a  conquering 
prince  who  should  deliver  them  from  the  dominion  of 
the  Romans,  and  should  make  Jerusalem  the  capital  of 
a  magnificent  empire.  They  were  disappointed  and 
disgusted  ("  offended "  is  the  word  used  in  our  trans 
lations)  at  finding  Jesus  coming  from  Nazareth,  a  de 
spised  town  in  Galilee,  and  having  no  worldly  pomp  or 
pretensions  about  Him,  and  having  only  poor  fishermen 
and  peasants  as  his  attendants.  Accordingly  they  re 
jected  Him,  saying,  "  Shall  [the]  Christ  come  out  of 
Nazareth  ?  "  "  As  for  this  man,  we  know  not  whence 
he  is."  "  Out  of  Galilee  ariseth  no  prophet."  And 
they  persuaded  themselves,  (as  their  descendants  do  to 
this  day,)  that  Jesus  was  a  skilful  magician,  and  per 
formed  miracles,  not  by  Divine  power,  but  by  the  help 
of  some  evil  spirits  or  demons,  with  whom  He  had  allied 
himself.  Though  He  went  about  doing  good,  heal 
ing  the  sick  and  afflicted,  and  teaching  the  purest  mo 
rality,  they  reckoned  him  a  "  deceiver,"  who  "  cast  out 
demons  through  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  de 
mons." 

But  if  lie  had  come  among  them  offering  to  fulfil 
their  expectations,  and  undertaking  to  deliver  their 
country  from  the  Romans,  then,  even  though  He  had 
shown  no  miraculous  power,  many  of  them  would  have 
received  Him  readily.  And  indeed  it  is  recorded  of 


FAITH   AND    CREDULITY.  199 

Him,  that  He  declared  this  himself,  and  foretold  to  his 
disciples,  "  Many  will  come  in  my  name,"  (that  is,  tak 
ing  on  them  my  character,)  "  saying,  I  am  [the]  Christ, 
and  will  deceive  many."  And  again,  "  I  am  come  in 
my  Father's  name,"  (that  is,  with  my  Father's  au 
thority  and  power,)  "  and  you  receive  me  not ;  if  an 
other  shall  come  in  his  own  name,"  (that  is,  requiring 
to  be  believed  on  his  bare  word,  without  any  miraculous 
signs,)  "  him  ye  will  receive." 

§  6.  And  so  it  came  to  pass ;  for  in  the  last  siege 
of  Jerusalem  many  impostors  came  forward,  each 
one  claiming  to  be  the  Christ,  and  drawing  multi 
tudes  to  follow  him,  and  leading  them  to  make  the 
most  desperate  resistance  to  the  Romans  ;  till  at 
length  the  city  was  taken  and  the  nation  utterly 
overthrown. 

Now  the  Jews  who  believed  any  one  of  these  im 
postors  were  led  to  do  so  by  their  prejudices,  and  ex 
pectations,  and  wishes,  not  by  any  proof  that  was  of 
fered.  They  showed,  therefore,  more  credulity  than 
the  Christians  did.  And  these  unbelieving  Jews,  as 
they  are  called,  are  the  very  persons  who  were 
reproached  for  their  want  of  faith.  You  may  plainly 
see  from  this,  that  the  faith  which  the  Christian 
writers  speak  of  is  not  blind  credulity,  but  fairness 
in  listening  to  evidence,  and  judging  accordingly, 
without  being  led  away  by  prejudices  and  inclina 
tions. 

Moreover,  we  find  in  the  Book  of  Acts  that  the  Jews 
of  Bersea  were  commended  as  being  "  more  noble " 
(that  is,  more  candid)  than  those  of  Thessalonica,  "  be 
cause  they  searched  the  Scriptures,"  (the  books  of  the 


200  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

Old  Testament,)  to  see  whether  those  things  were  so 
"  which  the  Apostle  taught." 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  Jesus  and  his  Apostles  did 
not  mean  by  Christian  faith  a  blind  assent  without  any 
reason.  And  if  we  would  be  taught  by  them,  we  must 
be  "  prepared  to  answer  every  one  that  asketh  us  a 
reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  us." 


LESSON  III. 

ANCIENT   BOOKS. 

§  1.  WE  have  said  that  Christians,  even  those  who 
have  not  received  what  is  called  a  learned  education, 
ought  to  have  some  good  reason  for  being  Christians ; 
and  not  to  believe  in  our  religion,  as  the  Pagans  do  in 
theirs,  merely  because  their  fathers  did  so  before  them. 
But  some  persons  suppose  that,  however  strong  the  evi 
dences  may  be  for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  these  must 
be  evidences  only  to  the  learned,  who  are  able  to  exam 
ine  ancient  books,  and  to  read  them  in  the  original  lan 
guages  ;  and  that  an  ordinary  unlearned  Christian  must 
take  their  word  for  what  they  tell  him. 

You  do,  indeed,  read  in  English  the  accounts  of  what 
Jesus  and  his  Apostles  said  and  did,  and  of  what  befell 
them.  But  the  English  book  which  we  call  the  Bible 
professes  to  be  a  translation  of  what  was  originally  writ 
ten  in  Greek  and  Hebrew,  which  you  do  not  understand. 
And  some  one  may  perhaps  ask  you,  how  you  can  know, 
except  by  taking  the  word  of  the  learned  for  it,  that 
there  are  these  Greek  and  Hebrew  originals  which  have 
been  handed  down  from  ancient  times  ?  or  how  you  can 
be  sure  that  our  translations  of  them  are  faithful,  except 
by  trusting  to  the  translators  ?  So  that  an  unlearned 
Christian  must,  after  all,  (some  people  will  tell  you,)  be 


202  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

>  at  the  mercy  of  the  learned,  in  what  relates  to  the  very 
foundations  of  his  faith.  He  must  take  their  word  (it 
will  be  said)  for  the  very  existence  of  the  Bible  in  the 
original  languages,  and  for  the  meaning  of  what  is  writ 
ten  in  it ;  and  therefore  he  may  as  well  at  once  take 
their  word  for  everything,  and  believe  in  his  religion  on 
their  assurance. 

And  this  is  what  many  persons  do.  But  others  will 
be  apt  to  say,  "  How  can  we  tell  that  the  learned  have 
not  deceived  us  ?  The  Mohammedans  take  the  word  of 
the  learned  men  among  them ;  and  the  Pagans  do  the 
same ;  and  if  the  people  have  been  imposed  upon  by 
their  teachers  in  Mohammedan  and  Pagan  countries, 
how  can  we  tell  that  it  is  not  the  same  in  Christian 
countries?  What  ground  have  we  for  trusting  with 
such  perfect  confidence  in  our  Christian  teachers,  that 
they  are  men  who  would  not  deceive  us  ?  " 

§  2.  The  truth  is,  however,  that  an  unlearned  Chris 
tian  may  have  very  good  grounds  for  being  a  believer, 
without  placing  this  entire  confidence  in  any  man.  He 
may  have  reason  to  believe  that  there  are  ancient  Greek 
manuscripts  of  the  New  Testament,  though  he  never 
saw  one,  nor  could  read  it  if  he  did.  And  he  may  be 
convinced  that  an  English  Bible  gives  the  meaning  of 
the  original,  though  he  must  not  trust  completely  to  any 
one's  word.  In  fact,  he  may  have  the  same  sort  of  evi 
dence  in  this  case,  which  every  one  trusts  to  in  many 
other  cases,  where  none  but  a  madman  would  have  any 
doubt  at  all. 

For  instance,  there  is  no  one  tolerably  educated,  who 
does  not  know  that  there  is  such  a  country  as  France, 
though  he  may  have  never  been  there  himself.  Who  is 


ANCIENT   BOOKS.  203 

there  that  doubts  whether  there  are  such  cities  as  Lon 
don,  and  Paris,  and  Rome,  though  he  may  never  have 
visited  them  ?  Most  people  are  fully  convinced  that  the 
world  is  round,  though  there  are  but  few  who  have  sailed 
round  it.  There  are  many  persons  living  in  the  inland 
parts  of  these  islands  who  never  saw  the  sea ;  and  yet 
none  of  them,  even  the  most  ignorant  clowns,  have  any 
doubt  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  sea.  We  believe 
all  these,  and  many  other  such  things,  because  we  have 
been  told  them. 

§  3.  Now  suppose  any  one  should  say,  How  do  you 
know  that  travellers  have  not  imposed  upon  you  in  all 
these  matters ;  as  it  is  well  known  travellers  are  apt  to 
do?  Is  there  any  traveller  you  can  so  fully  trust  in,  as 
to  be  quite  sure  he  would  not  deceive  you  ?  What  would 
you  answer?  I  suppose  you  would  say,  one  traveller 
might  perhaps  deceive  us ;  or  even  two  or  three  might 
possibly  combine  to  propagate  a  false  story,  in  some 
cases  where  hardly  any  one  would  have  the  opportunity 
to  detect  them  ;  but  in  these  matters  there  are  hundreds 
and  thousands  who  would  be  sure  to  contradict  the  ac 
counts  if  they  were  not  true ;  and  travellers  are  often 
glad  of  an  opportunity  of  detecting  each  other's  mistakes. 
Many  of  them  disagree  with  each  other  in  several  par 
ticulars  respecting  the  cities  of  Paris  and  Rome ;  and  if 
it  had  been  false  that  there  are  any  such  cities  at  all,  it 
is  impossible  but  that  the  falsehood  should  have  been 
speedily  contradicted.  And  it  is  the  same  with  the  ex 
istence  of  the  sea,  —  the  roundness  of  the  world,  —  and 
the  other  things  that  were  mentioned. 

§  4.  It  is  in  the  same  manner  that  we  believe,  on  the"! 
word  of  astronomers,  that  the  earth  turns  round  every 
twenty-four  hours,  though  we  are  insensible  of  the  mo- 


204  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

tion ;  and  that  the  sun,  which  seems  as  if  you  could 
cover  it  with  your  hat,  is  immensely  larger  than  the 
earth  we  inhabit ;  though  there  is  not  one  person  in  ten 
thousand  that  has  ever  gone  through  the  mathematical 
proof  of  this.  And  yet  we  have  very  good  reason  for 
believing  it ;  not  from  any  strong  confidence  in  the  hon 
esty  of  any  particular  astronomer,  but  because  the  same 
things  are  attested  by  many  different  astronomers,  who 
are  so  far  from  combining  together  in  a  false  account, 
that  many  of  them  rejoice  in  any  opportunity  of  detecting 
each  other's  mistakes. 

Now  an  unlearned  man  has  just  the  same  sort  of 
reason  for  believing  that  there  are  ancient  copies,  in 
Hebrew  and  Greek,  of  the  Christian  sacred  books,  and 
of  the  works  of  other  ancient  authors,  who  mention 
some  things  connected  with  the  origin  of  Christianity. 
There  is  no  need  for  him  to  place  full  confidence  in  any 
particular  man's  honesty.  For  if  any  book  were  forged 
by  some  learned  man  in  these  days,  and  put  forth  as  a 
translation  from  an  ancient  book,  there  are  many  other 
learned  men,  of  this  and  of  various  other  countries,  and 
of  different  religions,  who  would  be  eager  to  make  an 
inquiry,  and  examine  the  question,  and  would  be  sure  to 
detect  any  forgery,  especially  on  an  important  subject. 

And  it  is  the  same  with  translators.  Many  of  these 
are  at  variance  with  each  other  as  to  the  precise  sense 
of  some  particular  passage  ;  and  many  of  them  are  very 
much  opposed  to  each  other,  as  to  the  doctrines  which 
they  believe  to  be  taught  in  Scripture.  But  all  the  dif 
ferent  versions  of  the  Bible  agree  as  to  the  main  outline 
of  the  history,  and  of  the  discourses  recorded :  and 
therefore  an  unlearned  Christian  may  be  as  sure  of  the 
general  sense  of  the  original  as  if  he  understood  the 


ANCIENT    BOOKS.  205 

language  of  it,  and  could  examine  it  for  himself;  be 
cause  he  is  sure  that  unbelievers,  who  are  opposed  to  all 
Christians,  or  different  sects  of  Christians,  who  are  op 
posed  to  each  other,  would  not  fail  to  point  out  any  er 
rors  in  the  translations  made  by  their  opponents.  Scholf 
ars  have  an  opportunity  to  examine  and  inquire  into  the 
meaning  of  the  original  works ;  and  therefore  the  very 
bitterness  with  which  they  dispute  against  each  oilier, 
proves  that  where  they  all  agree  they  must  be  right. 

§  5.  All  these  ancient  books,  in  short,  and  all  the 
translations  of  them,  are  in  the  condition  of  witnesses 
placed  in  a  witness-box,  in  a  court  of  justice  ;  examined 
and  cross-examined  by  friends  and  enemies,  and  brought 
face  to  face  with  each  other,  so  as  to  make  it  certain 
that  any  falsehood  or  mistake  will  be  brought  to  light. 

No  one  need  doubt,  therefore,  that  the  books  of  our 
English  New  Testament  are  really  translated  from  an 
cient  originals  in  Greek,  and  are,  at  least,  not  forgeries 
of  the  present  day ;  because  unbelievers  in  Christianity 
would  not  have  failed  to  expose  such  a  forgery. 

But  in  the  case  of  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  we 
have  a  remarkable  proof  that  they  could  never  have 
been  forged  by  Christians  at  all ;  because  they  are  pre 
served  and  highly  reverenced  by  the  unbelieving  Jews 
in  various  parts  of  the  world  at  this  day.  These  are 
the  Scriptures  which  the  Jews  at  Bersea  were  commend 
ed  for  searching  with  diligent  care.  In  these  they 
found  the  prophecies  to  which  the  Apostles  were  accus 
tomed  to  refer,  as  proving  that  Jesus  was  the  promised 
Christ,  or  Messiah.  And  the  history  goes  on  to  relate, 
that  the  consequence  of  their  searching  those  Scrip 
tures  was,  that  "  many  of  them  believed." 
18 


LESSON    IV. 

PROPHECIES. 

§  1.  BUT  these  Old  Testament  Scriptures  are,  in 
some  respects,  more  instructive  to  us,  even  than  to  the 
persons  who  lived  in  the  Apostles'  time  ;  on  account  of 
the  more  complete  fulfilment  of  some  of  the  prophecies 
that  have  since  taken  place. 

In  the  times  of  the  Apostles,  the  religion  of  Jesus 
Christ  was,  indeed,  spreading  very  rapidly,  both  among 
Jews  and  Gentiles  ;  but  still  it  was  but  a  small  and  ob 
scure  portion  of  either  that  had  embraced  it  compared 
with  those  who  either  knew  nothing  of  it,  or  rejected  it 
with  scorn  and  hatred.  Now,  Jesus  is,  and  has  been 
for  many  ages,  acknowledged  as  Lord,  in  all  the  most 
civilized  portions  of  the  world.  His  disciples  overthrew 
the  religions  of  all  the  most  powerful  and  enlightened 
nations,  and  produced,  without  conquest,  and  without 
the  help  of  wTealth,  or  of  human  power,  or  learning,  the 
most  wonderful  change  that  ever  was  produced  in  men's 
opinions,  and  on  the  most  important  point.  The  num 
ber  of  those  who  profess  Christianity  is  computed  at 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  millions  ;  comprehending 
all  the  most  civilized  nations  of  the  world.  And  to  es 
timate  properly  the  greatness  of  the  effect  produced,  we 
should  take  into  account  that  there  are  about  one  hun- 


PROPHECIES.  207 

dred  and  twenty  millions  of  persons  whose  religion  is  so 
far  founded  on  Christ's,  that  it  could  never  have  existed 
such  as  it  is,  if  Christ  had  never  appeared,  —  I  mean 
the  Mohammedans  ;  for  though  these  have  departed 
widely  from  the  religion  which  Jesus  taught,  and  re 
gard  Mohammed  as  a  greater  prophet  than  He,  yet  they 
acknowledge  Jesus  as  a  true  prophet,  and  as  the  Mes 
siah,  or  Christ ;  and  profess  that  their  religion  is  found 
ed  on  his. 

§  2.  This  should  be  taken  into  account ;  because  what 
we  are  now  speaking  of  is  the  great  and  wonderful  effect 
produced,  —  the  extraordinary  change  brought  about  in 
the  world,  —  by  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  So  great  is 
this  effect,  that  every  man,  whether  believer  or  unbe 
liever,  if  not  totally  ignorant  of  history,  must  allow  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  by  far  THE  MOST  IMPORTANT  AND 
EXTRAORDINARY  PERSON  that  ever  appeared  on  earth ; 
and  that  he  effected  the  most  wonderful  revolution  that 
ever  was  effected  in  the  religion  of  mankind.  Yet  this 
wonderful  change  was  made  by  a  person  of  the  Jewish 
nation,  —  a  nation  which  was  never  one  of  the  greatest 
and  most  powerful,  —  never  at  all  equal  in  the  fame 
of  wisdom,  and  knowledge,  and  skill  in  the  arts  of  life, 
to  the  Greeks,  and  several  other  of  the  ancient  nations. 
And  all  this  was  done  by  a  person  who  was  despised, 
and  persecuted,  and  put  to  a  shameful  death,  by  the 
Jews  themselves,  his  own  countrymen.  If,  therefore, 
you  were  to  ask  any  unbeliever  in  Christianity,  "  Who 
was  the  most  wonderful  person  that  ever  existed  ?  and 
who  brought  about  the  most  extraordinary  effect,  in  the 
strangest  and  most  wonderful  manner  ? "  he  could 
hardly  help  answering  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the 
person. 


208  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

And  then  you  might  ask  him  to  explain  how  it 
happened,  (supposing  our  religion  to  be  an  invention 
of  man,)  that  all  this  had  been  foretold  in  the  ancient 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament ;  in  books  which  are 
carefully  preserved,  and  held  in  high  reverence,  by  the 
unbelieving  Jews  at  this  day. 

§  3.  You  may  find  such  prophecies  as  I  am  speaking 
of,  in  various  parts  of  the  Old  Testament.  As,  for  in 
stance,  it  was  prophesied  that  a  great  blessing  to  all  na 
tions  of  the  earth  should  spring  from  the  nation  that 
was  to  descend  from  Abraham.  (Gen.  xxii.  18.) 

Now,  when  the  descendants  of  Abraham  did  actually 
5*  become  a  nation,  and  did  receive,  through  Moses,  a  re 
ligion  which  they  held  in  the  highest  veneration,  they 
would  naturally  expect  the  above  prophecy  to  refer  to 
the  extension  of  that  very  religion.  And  any  one 
of  them  professing  to  be  a  prophet,  but  speaking  re 
ally  as  a  mere  man,  would  have  been  sure  to  con 
firm  that  expectation.  Yet  it  was  foretold,  that  the 
religion  which  the  Israelites  had  received  from  Moses 
was  to  give  place  to  a  new  one:  as  in  Jer.  xxxi. 
31  :  "  Behold  the  days  come  [are  coming],  saith  the 
Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the 
house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah  :  not 
according  to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fa 
thers,"  &c. 

See  also,  for  prophecies  of  the  Messiah,  Micah  iv. 
1  -  3  ;  v.  2  -  4 ;  Isaiah  ix.  G  ;  xi.  1  ;  Ezekiel  xxxiv, 
23 ;  Jer.  xxiii.  5 ;  Zech.  vi.  12  ;  ix.  9,  &c.  ;  Mai. 
iii.  1. 

Now  many  of  these  prophecies  were  delivered  (as 
the  unbelieving  Jews  of  this  day  bear  witness)  six  hun- 


PROPHECIES.  209 

dred  years  before  the  birth  of  Jesus ;  at  which  time,  and 
also  at  the  time  when  the  Gospel  was  first  preached, 
the  Jews  were  so  far  from  being  a  great  and  power 
ful  people,  that  they  had  been  conquered  and  brought 
into  subjection  by  other  nations.  So  that,  according  to 
all  human  conjecture,  nothing  could  have  been  more 
strange  than  the  delivery  of  the  prophecies  and  their 
fulfilment. 

§  4.  This  fulfilment,  by  the  wide  spread  of  Christ's 
religion  among  various  nations,  though  it  was  expected 
by  the  early  Christians,  had  not  been  seen  by  them,  as 
it  is  by  us.  They  saw,  however,  that  what  Jesus  had 
done  and  suffered  did  agree  with  the  prophecies  of  the 
Old  Testament ;  that  He  was  born  at  the  time  when  it 
had  been  foretold  that  Christ  was  to  come,  and  when 
the  whole  Jewish  nation  were  in  expectation  of  his  com 
ing  ;  that  He  was  acknowledged  by  his  enemies  to  have 
wrought  those  miracles  which  had  been  prophesied  of: 
"  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened,  and 
the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped  :  then  shall  the 
lame  man  leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb 
sing"  (Isaiah  xxxv.  5  ;  Luke  vii.  22  )  ;  that,  notwith 
standing  this,  He  had  been  rejected  and  put  to  death, 
as  had  been  foretold ;  and  that  his  disciples  bore  wit 
ness  to  his  having  risen  from  the  dead,  agreeably  to 
other  prophecies  :  "  Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in 
hell  (i.  e.  the  grave)  ;  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine 
Holy  One  to  see  corruption."  (Psalm  xvi.  10  ;  Acts 
ii.  27.) 

All  this  led  them  to  conclude,  when  they  examined 
candidly,  that  the  miracles  which  they  saw  were  not 
the  work  of  evil  spirits,  but  that  the  Gospel  did  come 
18* 


210  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

from  God.  On  the  other  hand,  we,  who  have  not 
actually  seen  the  miracles  which  they  saw,  have  an  ad 
vantage  over  them  in  seeing  such  an  extraordinary 
fulfilment  of  prophecy,  in  what  has  happened  since  their 
tune. 


LESSON  V. 

MIRACLES. PART    I. 

§  1.  THE  people  who  lived  in  the  times  of  the  Apos 
tles,  though  they  had  not  seen  -so  much  as  we  have  of 
the  fulfilment  of  the  ancient  prophecies,  yet  had  seen 
them  so  far  fulfilled  in  Jesus,  as  to  afford  good  reasons 
for  receiving  Him. 

But  you  may,  perhaps,  be  inclined  to  wonder  how 
they  should  need  to  search  the  Old  Testament  Scrip 
tures  for  a  confirmation  of  what  the  Apostles  taught,  if 
those  Apostles  really  performed  such  miracles  as  we 
read  of.  It  may  seem  strange  to  you,  that  men  who 
healed  the  sick  with  a  touch,  and  displayed  so  many 
other  signs,  far  beyond  human  power,  should  not  have 
been  at  once  believed,  when  they  called  themselves 
God's  messengers. 

§  2.  I  have  said  that  the  works  performed  by  Jesus ' 
and  his  disciples  were  beyond  the  unassisted  powers  of 
man.  And  this,  I  think,  is  the  best  description  of  what 
is  meant  by  a  miracle.  Superhuman  would  perhaps  be  a 
better  word  to  apply  to  a  miracle  than  supernatural; 
for  if  we  believe  that  "  nature"  is  merely  another  word 
to  signify  that  state  of  things,  and  course  of  events, 
which  God  has  appointed,  nothing  that  occurs  can  be 
strictly  called  "  supernatural."  Jesus  himself  according-  , 


212  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

I  ly  describes  his  works,  not  as  violations  of  the  laws  of 
nature,  but  as  "  works  which  none  other  man  did."  But 
what  is  in  general  meant  by  "  supernatural,"  is  some 
thing  out  of  the  ordinary  course  of  nature  ;  something  at 
variance  with  those  laws  of  nature  which  we  have  been 
accustomed  to. 

But  then  it  might  be  objected,  that  we  cannot  decide 
what  does  violate  the  ordinary  laws  of  nature,  unless 
we  can  be  sure  that  we  are  acquainted  with  all  those 
laws.  For  instance,  an  inhabitant  of  the  tropical  cli 
mates  might  think  it  contrary  to  the  laws  of  nature  that 
water  should  never  become  hard ;  since  he  had  never 
seen  ice.  And  when  electricity  was  first  discovered, 
many  of  its  effects  were  contrary  to  the  laws  of  nature 
which  had  been  hitherto  known.  But  any  one  who 
visits  colder  regions  may  see  with  his  own  eyes  that  wa 
ter  does  become  solid.  And  any  one  who  will  procure 
an  electrical  machine,  or  who  attends  lectures  on  the 
subject,  may  see  for  himself  the  effects  of  electricity. 

Now  suppose  Jesus  had  been  a  person  who  had  dis 
covered  some  new  natural  agent,  through  which  any 
man  might  be  enabled  to  cure  diseases  by  a  touch,  and 
perform  the  other  wonderful  works  which  He  did,  and 
through  which  any  one  else  might  have  done  the  like, 
this  would  soon  have  become  known  and  practised  by 
all ;  just  like  the  use  of  electricity,  or  of  any  newly  dis 
covered  medicine  ;  and  from  his  time  down  to  this  day 
every  one  would  have  commonly  performed  just  the 
same  works  that  he  did.  He  might  indeed  have  kept  it 
to  himself  as  a  secret,  and  thus  have  induced  some  to 
believe  that  He  wrought  miracles.  But  so  far  from  act- 
'ing  thus,  He  imparted  his  power  first  to  the  twelve 


MIRACLES.  213 

Apostles,  and  afterwards  to  seventy  others :  and  after 
his  departure,  his  Apostles  received  the  power  of  not 
only  performing  mighty  works  themselves,  but  also  of 
bestowing  these  gifts  on  all  the  disciples  on  whom  they 
laid  their  hands;  as  you  may  see  from  Acts  viii.  14- 
23;  Acts  xix.  G;  Rom.  i.  11;  1  Cor.  xii.  7-11,  &c. 
There  must  have  been,  therefore,  in  the  early  Church 
many  hundreds,  and  probably  many  thousands,  perform 
ing  the  same  sort  of  works  as  Jesus  and  his  Apostles. 
And  if,  therefore,  these  had  been  performed  by  means 
of  any  natural  agent,  such  as  any  one  else  might  use  as 
well  as  they,  the  art  would  soon  have  been  universally 
known;  and  the  works  performed  by  the  disciples  of 
Jesus  would  have  been  commonly  performed  by  all 
men  ever  after,  down  to  this  day. 

But  the  Jews  were  convinced,  with  good  reason,  that  i 
the  works  of  Jesus  were  beyond  the  powers  of  unassist 
ed  man.  And  it  may  seem  strange  to  us,  that  they  did 
not  all  come  at  once  to  the  same  conclusion  with  Nico- 
demus,  when  he  said,  "  No  man  can  do  these  miracles 
which  thou  doest,  except  God  be  with  him." 

But  you  must  remember  how  much  the  people  of 
those  days  were  accustomed  to  believe  in  magic.  In 
deed,  in  much  later  times,  long  after  Christianity  pre 
vailed,  it  was  a  very  common  notion  that  there  were 
magicians  who  were  able,  through  the  help  of  evil  de 
mons,  to  work  various  miracles.  And  in  the  days  of  the 
Apostles  this  belief  in  the  power  of  magic  was  very  gen 
eral,  both  among  the  Jews  and  the  Heathen.  Those 
Jews  among  whom  Jesus  lived,  and  who  rejected  him, 
maintained  that  He  was  a  magician  who  did  mighty 
works  through  the  prince  of  demons.  This  is  not  only  • 


214  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

related  by  the  Christian  writers  in  the  New  Testament, 
but  is  a  common  tradition  among  the  unbelieving  Jews  at 
this  very  day,  who  have  among  them  an  ancient  book 
giving  this  account  of  the  origin  of  Christianity.  And 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  must  have  been  (as  our 
sacred  writers  tell  us  it  was)  what  the  adversaries  of 
Jesus  maintained  from  the  first.  For  if  those  who  lived 
on  the  spot  in  his  time  had  denied  or  doubted  the  facts 
of  the  miracles,  and  had  declared  that  the  accounts  of 
them  were  false  tales,  and  that  no  miracles  had  ever 
really  been  wrought,  we  may  be  sure  that  the  same 
would  have  been  said  ever  after  by  their  descendants. 
They  would  never  have  thought  of  rejecting  the  ac 
counts  given  by  their  own  ancestors,  and  preferring  that 
of  the  Christian  writers.  If,  therefore,  any  of  the  Jews 
among  whom  Jesus  lived  had  denied  the  fact  of  his  mi 
raculous  powers,  it  is  inconceivable  that  another  genera 
tion  of  Jews  should  have  betaken  themselves  to  the  pre 
tence  of  magic  to  account  for  miracles  which  had  never 
been  acknowledged  at  the  time,  but  had  been  reckoned 
impostures  by  the  very  people  among  whom  they  were 
said  to  have  been  performed. 

The  Pagan  adversaries  of  Christianity  also  seem  to 
have  had  the  same  persuasion  on  this  subject  as  the 
Jews,  and  to  have  attributed  the  Christian  miracles  to 
magical  art.  We  learn  this  from  all  the  remains  that 
have  come  down  to  us  of  the  ancient  writings  against 
Christianity,  and  of  the  answers  to  them  written  by 
.  Christians. 

§  3.  Now  suppose  that  in  the  present  day  any  one 
should  appear  professing  to  be  sent  from  God,  and  to 
work  miracles  as  a  sign  of  his  being  so  sent,  you  would 


MIRACLES.  215 

naturally  think  that  the  only  question  would  be  as  to 
the  reality  of  the  miracles ;  and  that  all  men  would  at 
once  believe  him  as  soon  as  ever  they  were  satisfied 
that  he  had  performed  something  clearly  beyond  human 
power.  But  men  certainly  did  not  judge  so  in  ancient 
times.  It  was  not  then  only  one  question,  but  two,  that 
had  to  be  settled :  first,  whether  any  sign  had  really 
been  displayed  which  showed  a  power  beyond  that  of 
man;  and  secondly,  whether  this  supernatural  power 
came  from  God,  or  from  an  evil  demon. 

Now,  after  the  former  of  these  questions  was  decided, 
that  is,  after  the  fact  of  the  miracles  was  admitted,  the 
Jews  were  inclined  still  to  doubt  or  disbelieve  the  relig 
ion  which  Jesus  taught,  because  it  was  so  different  from 
what  they  had  been  used  to  expect ;  and  hence  it  was 
that  the  greater  part  of  them  attributed  his  miracles  to 
magic.  But  others  were  of  a  more  candid  mind,  ("  more 
noble,"  as  it  is  in  our  translation,)  such  as  the  people  of 
Berrca.  These,  by  carefully  searching  the  Scriptures, 
satisfied  themselves  that  the  ancient  prophecies  respect 
ing  the  Christ  did  really  agree  with  all  that  Jesus  had 
done  and  suffered.  And  this  it  was  that  convinced  them 
that  his  miracles  were  wrought,  not  by  evil  spirits,  but 
by  the  Divine  power ;  and  thus  they  were  brought  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  "kingdom  of  Heaven  was  at 
hand." 

§  4.  If,  then,  any  one  should  say  to  you,  "  How  great 
an  advantage  the  people  who  lived  in  those  days,  and 
saw  miracles  performed  before  their  eyes,  must  have 
had  over  us,  who  only  read  of  them  in  ancient  books ; 
and  how  can  men  in  these  days  be  expected  to  believe 
as  firmly  as  they  did  ?  "  you  may  answer,  that  different 


216  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

men's  trials  and  advantages  are  pretty  nearly  balanced. 
The  people  who  lived  in  those  times  were  not  (any  more 
than  ourselves)  forced  into  belief,  whether  they  would  or 
no,  but  were  left  to  ^exercise  candor  in  judging  fairly 
from  the  evidence  before  them.  Those  of  them  who 
were  resolved  to  yield  to  their  prejudices  against  Jesus, 
and  to  reject  him,  found  a  ready  excuse  (an  excuse 
which  would  not  be  listened  to  now)  by  attributing  his 
miracles  to  the  magical  arts  which  in  those  days  were 
commonly  believed  in.  And  again,  though  they  saw 
many  miracles  which  we  only  read  of,  they  did  not  see 
that  great  miracle  (as  it  may  be  called)  which  is  before 
our  eyes,  in  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy  since  their  time. 
They  could  see,  indeed,  many  prophecies  fulfilled  in  Je 
sus  ;  but  we  have  an  advantage  over  them,  in  witnessing 
the  more  complete  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  respect- 
•  ing  the  wonderful  spread  of  his  religion. 


LESSON     VI. 

MIRACLES. PART    II. 

§  1.  "BuT  can  we  of  these  days  really  find  suffi 
cient  proof/'  some  one  may  say,  "  and  such  proof  as  is 
within  the  reach  of  ordinary  Christians,  for  believing 
that  miracles  really  were  performed  which  we  never 
saw,  but  which  are  recorded  in  books  as  having  hap 
pened  nearly  eighteen  hundred  years  ago  ?  "  Is  it  not 
expecting  a  great  deal  of  us,  to  require  us  to  believe 
that  there  were  persons  who  used  to  cure  blindness  and 
other  diseases  by  a  touch  or  a  word,  and  raise  the  dead, 
and  still  the  raging  of  the  sea,  and  feed  a  multitude  with 
a  few  loaves  ? 

Certainly  these  things  are  in  themselves  hard  to  be 
believed ;  and  if  we  were  to  find  in  some  ancient  book 
accounts  of  some  great  wonders  which  led  to  no  effects 
that  exist  at  this  day,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
present  state  of  things  among  us,  we  might  well  be  ex 
cused  for  doubting  or  disbelieving  such  accounts ;  or  at 
least  none  but  learned  men,  who  had  the  ability  and  the 
opportunity  to  make  full  inquiry  into  the  evidence  of 
such  a  book,  could  fairly  be  expected  to  trouble  them 
selves  about  the  question.  But  the  case  of  the  Chris 
tian  miracles  is  not  one  of  this  kind.  They  are  closely 
connected  with  something  wThich  we  do  see  before  us 
19 


218  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

at  this  day ;  namely,  with  the  existence  of  the  Christian 
religion  in  so  great  a  part  of  the  world.  A  man  cannot, 
indeed,  be  fairly  required  to  believe  anything  very 
strange  and  unlikely,  except  when  there  is  something 
still  more  strange  and  unlikely  on  the  opposite  side. 
Now  that  is  just  the  case  with  respect  to  the  Christian 
miracles ;  for,  wonderful  as  the  whole  Gospel  history  is, 
the  most  wonderful  thing  of  all  is,  that  a  Jewish  peasant 
should  have  succeeded  in  changing  the  religion  of  the 
world.  That  he  should  have  succeeded  in  doing  this 
without  displaying  any  miracles,  would  have  been  more 
wonderful  than  all  the  miracles  that  are  recorded;  and 
that  he  should  have  accomplished  all  this  by  means  of 
pretended  miracles  when  none  were  really  performed, 
would  be  the  most  incredible  of  all.  So  that  those  who 
are  unwilling  to  believe  anything  that  is  strange,  cannot 
escape  doing  so  by  disbelieving  the  Gospel,  but  will  have 
to  believe  something  still  more  strange  if  they  reject  the 

^Gospel. 

§  2.    And   it   is  the  same  in  many  other  cases  as 

'  well  as  in  what  relates  to  religion.  We  are  often 
obliged  to»believe,  at  any  rate,  in  something  that  is  very 
wonderful,  in  order  to  avoid  believing  something  else 
that  is  still  more  wonderful.  For  instance,  it  is  well 
known  that  in  these  islands,  and  in  several  other  parts 
of  the  world,  there  are  great  beds  of  sea-shells  found 
near  the  tops  of  hills,  sometimes  several  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea.  Now  it  is  certainly  very  hard  to  be 
lieve  that  the  sea  should  ever  have  covered  those  places 
which  now  lie  so  far  above  it.  And  yet  we  are  com 
pelled  to  believe  this,  because  we  cannot  think  of  any 
other  way  that  is  not  far  more  incredible  by  which 
those  shells  have  been  deposited  there. 


MIRACLES.  219 

And  so  it  is  with  the  Gospel  history.  We  are  sure 
that  the  Christian  religion  does  now  exist,  and  has  over 
spread  most  of  the  civilized  world ;  and  we  know  that  it 
was  not  first  introduced  and  propagated  (like  that  of 
Mohammed)  by  force  of  arms.  To  believe  that  it  was 
received,  and  made  its  way,  without  miracles,  would  be 
to  believe  something  more  miraculous  (if  one  may  so 
speak)  than  all  the  miracles  that  our  books  record. 

§  3.    But  some  people  may  say  that  the  ancient  Jews 
and  Pagans,  who  so  readily  believed  in  magical  arts  and 
the  power  of  demons,  must  have  been  very  weak  and 
credulous  men ;  and  that  therefore  they  may  have  given 
credit  to  tales  of  miracles  without  making  any  careful 
inquiry.     Now  there  is,  indeed,  no  doubt  that  they  were 
weak  and  credulous ;  but  this  weakness  and  credulity 
would  never  have  led  them  to  believe  what  was  against 
their  early  prejudices,  and  expectations,   and  wishes: 
quite  the  contrary.     The  more  weak  and  credulous  any") 
man  is,  the  harder  it  is  to  convince  him  of  anything  that  \/» 
is  opposite  to  his  habits  of  thought  and  inclinations.  ( 
He  will  readily  receive  without  proof  anything  that  falls 
in  with  his  prejudices,  and  will  be  disposed  to  hold  out 
against  any  evidence  that  goes  against  them. 

Now  all  the  prejudices  of  the  Jews  and  Pagans  were 
against  the  religion  that  Jesus  and  his  Apostles  taught ; 
and,  accordingly,  we  might  have  expected  that  the  most 
credulous  of  them  should  have  done  just  what  our  histo 
ries  tell  us  they  did ;  that  is,  resolved  to  reject  the  re 
ligion  at  any  rate,  and  readily  satisfy  themselves  with 
some  weak  and  absurd  way  of  accounting  for  the  mira 
cles.  But  credulous  as  they  were  about  magic,  the 
enemies  of  Jesus  would  never  have  resorted  to  that  pre- 


220  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

tence,  if  they  could  have  denied  the  facts.  They  would 
certainly  have  been  more  ready  to  maintain,  if  possible, 
that  no  miracles  had  taken  place,  than  to  explain  them 
as  performed  by  magic ;  because  this  pretence  only 
went  to  make  out  that  Jesus,  notwithstanding  his  mira 
cles,  might  possibly  not  come  from  God ;  whereas,  if 
they  could  have  shown  that  He  or  his  Apostles  had  at 
tempted  to  deceive  people  by  pretended  miracles,  this 
would  at  once  have  held  them  up  to  scorn  as  impostors. 

§  4.  We  read  in  the  Gospel  of  John  (chap,  ix.), 
that  the  Jewish  rulers  narrowly  examined  into  the  re 
ality  of  a  miracle  performed  by  Jesus,  on  a  man  that 
was  born  blind.  This  is  exactly  what  we  may  be  sure 
must  have  been  clone  in  the  case  of  other  miracles 
also;  and  if  the  enemies  of  Jesus  could  have  suc 
ceeded  in  detecting  and  exposing  any  falsehood  or 
trick,  they  would  have  been  eager  to  do  so ;  because 
they  would  have  been  thus  sure  to  overthrow  his  pre 
tensions  at  once. 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  weakness  and  credulity 
of  the  people  of  those  days  would  be  very  far  from  dis 
posing  them  readily  to  give  credit  to  miracles  in  favor 
of  a  religion  that  was  opposed  to  their  prejudices ;  and 
that,  on  the  contrary,  such  persons  would  be  likely,  some 
of  them  obstinately,  to  reject  the  religion,  and  others 
only  gradually  and  slowly  to  receive  it,  after  having 
carefully  searched  the  ancient  prophecies,  and  found  that 
these  went  to  confirm  it.  Now  this  is  just  the  account 
that  our  histories  give. 

It  appears  certain,  then,  that  the  unbelieving  Jews 
and  Pagans  of  those  days  did  find  it  impossible  to  throw 
any  doubt  on  the  fact  of  the  miracles  having  really  been 


MIRACLES.  221 

performed ;  because  that  would  have  enabled  them 
easily  to  expose  Jesus  to  contempt  as  an  impostor. 
Their  acknowledging  the  miracles,  and  attributing  them 
to  magic,  as  the  unbelieving  Jews  do  to  this  day,  shows 
that  the  evidence  for  them,  after  the  strictest  scrutiny  by 
the  most  bitter  enemies,  was  perfectly  undeniable,  at  the 
time  and  place  when  they  were  said  to  be  performed. 


19* 


LESSON  VII. 

MIRACLES. PART    III. 

§  1.  THERE  are  persons,  some  of  whom  you  may,  per 
haps,  meet  with,  who,  though  they  are  believers  in  Chris 
tianity,  yet  will  not  allow  that  the  miracles  recorded  in 
Scripture  are  any  ground  for  their  belief.  They  are 
convinced  (they  will  tell  you)  that  Jesus  Christ  came 
from  God,  because  "  never  man  spake  like  this  man." 
They  find  the  religion  so  pure  and  admirable  in  itself, 
and  they  feel  it  so  well  suited  to  their  wants,  and  to  the 
wants  of  all  mankind,  and  so  full  of  heavenly  wisdom 
and  goodness,  that  they  need  no  other  proof  of  its  be 
ing  from  heaven ;  but  as  for  miracles,  these  (they  will 
tell  you)  are  among  the  difficulties  to  be  got  over :  they 
believe  them  as  a  part  of  the  religion,  from  finding  them 
recorded  in  the  Bible ;  but  they  would  have  believed 
the  Gospel  as  easily,  or  more  easily,  without  them. 
The  miracles  (they  will  say)  were  indeed  a  proof  to 
those  who  lived  at  the  time,  and  saiv  them ;  but  to  us 
of  the  present  day,  who  only  read  of  them,  they  are  a 
part  of  our  faith,  and  not  a  part  of  the  evidence  of  our 
faith.  For  it  is  a  greater  trial  of  faith,  they  say,  to  be 
lieve  in  such  wonderful  works  as  Jesus  is  said  to  have 
performed,  than  to  believe  that  such  wise  and  excellent 
doctrine  as  He  delivered  was  truly  from  heaven. 


MIRACLES.  223 

Now  there  is  indeed  much  truth  in  a  part  of  what 
these  persons  say ;  but  they  do  not  take  a  clear  view 
of  the  whole  subject  of  evidence.  It  is  indeed  true, 
that  there  is,  as  they  observe,  great  weight  in  the  in 
ternal  evidence  (as  it  is  called)  of  Christianity ;  that  is, 
the  reasons  for  believing  it  from  the  character  of  the 
religion  itself.  The  more  you  study  it,  the  more 
strongly  you  will  perceive  that  it  is  such  a  religion  as 
no  man  would  have  been  likely  to  invent ;  and  of  all 
men,  a  Jew  most  unlikely.  But  there  are  many  differ 
ent  kinds  of  evidence  for  the  same  truth ;  and  one  kind 
of  evidence  may  the  most  impress  one  man's  mind,  and 
another  another's.  And,  among  the  rest,  the  Christian 
miracles  certainly  are  a  very  decisive  proof  of  the  truth 
of  Christ's  religion  to  any  one  who  is  convinced  (as  you 
have  seen  there  is  reason  to  be)  that  they  really  were 
wrought.  Of  course,  there  is  more  difficulty  for  us  in 
making  out  this  point,  than  there  was  for  men  who  lived 
at  the  same  times  and  places  with  Jesus  and  his  Apos 
tles  ;  but  when  this  point  has  been  made  out,  and  we  do 
believe,  the  miracles,  they  are  no  less  a  proof  of  the  re 
ligion  to  us  than  to  those  early  Christians. 

§  2.  It  is  quite  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  diffi-' 
culty  of  proving  any  fact  makes  that  fact,  when  it  is 
proved,  a  less  convincing  proof  of  something  else.  For 
example,  —  to  take  an  instance  formerly  given,  —  those 
who  live  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  places  where  great 
beds  of  sea-shells  are  found  near  the  tops  of  hills,  and 
have  seen  them  there  themselves,  are  convinced  by  this 
that  at  some  time  or  other  those  beds  must  have  been 
under  the  sea.  Now  a  person  who  lives  at  a  distance 
from  such  places  has  more  difficulty  than  those  on  the  ' 


224  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

spot,  in  making  out  whether  there  are  any  such  beds  of 
shells.  He  has  to  inquire  of  travellers,  or  of  those  who 
have  conversed  with  them ;  and  to  consult  books,  and 
perhaps  examine  pieces  of  the  rock  containing  some  of 
the  shells ;  but  when  once  he  is  fully  satisfied  that  there 
are  such  beds  of  sea-shells,  this  is  just  as  good  a  proof 
to  Jlim  as  to  the  others,  that  the  sea  must  have  formerly 
covered  them. 

And  so  also,  in  respect  of  the  Christian  miracles. 

The  difficulty  we  may  have  in  deciding  whether  they 

were  really  wrought,  does  not  make  them  (when  we 

are  convinced  that  they  were  wrought)  a  less  decisive 

}  proof  that  the  Christian  religion  is  from  God. 

But  as  for  the  difficulty  of  believing  in  anything  so 
strange  and  wonderful  as  those  miracles,  you  should  re 
member,  that  every  difficulty  (as  was  observed  before) 
should  be  weighed  against  that  on  the  opposite  side. 
Now,  the  difficulty  of  believing  the  miracles  recorded 
in  our  sacred  books  is  much  less  than  the  opposite 
difficulty  of  believing  that  the  Christian  religion  was 
established  without  miracles.  That  a  Jewish  peasant 
should  have  overthrown  the  religion  of  the  civilized 
world,  without  the  aid  of  any  miracles,  is  far  more  mi 
raculous,  —  at  least,  more  incredible,  —  than  anything 
that  our  books  relate  ;  and  it  will  appear  still  more  in 
credible,  if  you  remember  that  this  wonderful  change 
was  brought  about  by  means  of  an  appeal  to  miracles. 
Jesus  and  his  Apostles  did  certainly  profess  to  display 
miraculous  powers  in  proof  of  their  being  sent  from 
God  ;  and  this  would  have  been  the  greatest  hin- 
derance  to  their  propagating  a  new  religion,  if  they 
had  really  possessed  no  such  powers;  because  this 


MIRACLES.  225 

pretence  would  have  laid  them  open  to  detection  and 
ridicule. 

§  3.  But  there  is  a  distinction  between  our  religion 
and  all  others,  which  is  often  overlooked.  Almost  all 
religions  have  some  miraculous  pretensions  connected 
with  them  ;  that  is,  miracles  are  recorded  to  have  been 
wrought  in  support  of  some  Pagan  religion,  among  peo 
ple  who  already  believed  it.  But  you  will  not  find  that 
any  religion  except  ours  was  ever  introduced  —  and  in 
troduced  among  enemies  —  by  miraculous  pretensions. 
Ours 'is  the  only  faith  that  ever  was  FOUNDED  on  an 
appeal  to  the  evidence  of  miracles.  And  we  have  every 
reason  to  believe  that  no  such  attempt  ever  did  or 
could  succeed,  if  the  miracles  were  not  really  performed. 
The  difficulty,  therefore,  of  believing  that  the  Christian 
religion  was  propagated  by  means  of  miracles,  is  noth 
ing  in  comparison  of  the  difficulty  of  believing  that  it 
could  have  been  propagated  without  any. 

Indeed,  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  that  many 
more  miracles  must  have  been  performed  than  are  par 
ticularly  related.  Several  particular  cases,  indeed,  of 
our  Lord's  miracles  were  described ;  but,  besides  these, 
we  are  told,  in  various  places,  of  great  multitudes  of 
sick  people  being  brought  to  him,  and  that  "  He  healed 
them  all."  (Matt.  xii.  15  ;  xix.  2.)  So  also,  besides 
particular  miracles  related  as  done  by  the  Apostles, 
(Acts  ii.  33;  iii.  7;  ix.  33;  xiii.  11;  xiv.  8;  xxviii. 
5,)  we  are  told,  generally,  of  their  not  only  performing 
many  miracles,  (Acts  viii.  6;  xix.  11,)  but  also  bestow 
ing  miraculous  powers  on  great  numbers  of  disciples. 
(Acts  vi.  5,  8 ;  x.  44  ;  xix.  6.)  And  we  find  St.  Paul, 
in  one  of  his  Epistles,  speaking  of  it  as  a  thing  famil- 


226  „  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

iarly  known,  that  miracles  were  "  the  sign  of  an  Apostle." 
(2  Cor.  xii.  12.)  And  in  all  these  books  we  find  mira 
cles  not  boastfully  dwelt  on,  or  described  as  something 
unusual,  but  alluded  to  as  familiarly  known  to  the  per 
sons  to  whom  the  books  were  familiarly  addressed ;  that 
is,  to  the  Christians  of  those  days. 

§  4.  But  besides  the  accounts  given  in  the  Christian 
Scriptures,  we  might  be  sure,  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  that  the  Apostles  could  never  have  even  gained 
a  hearing,  at  least  among  the  Gentiles,  if  they  had  not 
displayed  some  extraordinary  and  supernatural  power. 
Fancy  a  few  poor  Jewish  fishermen,  tent-makers,  and 
peasants  going  into  one  of  the  great  Roman  or  Grecian 
cities,  whose  inhabitants  were  proud  of  the  splendid 
temples,  and  beautiful  images  of  their  gods,  which  had 
been  worshipped  time  out  of  mind  by  their  ancestors ; 
they  were  proud,  too,  of  their  schools  of  philosophy, 
where  those  reputed  the  wisest  men  among  them  dis 
coursed  on  the  most  curious  and  sublime  subjects,  to  the 
youth  of  the  noblest  families  ;  and  then  fancy  these  Jew 
ish  strangers  telling  them  to  cast  away  their  images  as 
an  abominable  folly,  —  to  renounce  the  religion  of  their 
ancestors,  —  to  reject  with  scorn  the  instructions  of  their 
philosophers,  —  and  to  receive  instead,  as  a  messenger 
from  heaven,  a  Jew,  of  humble  station,  who  had  been 
put  to  the  most  shameful  death.  How  do  you  think 
men  would  have  been  received  who  should  have  made 
such  an  attempt  as  this,  with  merely  such  weak  human 
means  as  preaching  ?  You  cannot  doubt  that  all  men 
would  have  scorned  them,  and  ridiculed  or  pitied  them 
as  madmen. 

§  5.    As  for  the  wisdom  and  purity  and  sublimity  of 


MIRACLES.  227 

the  religion  of  the  Gospel,  this  might  have  gained  them 
some  attention,  —  not,  indeed,  among  the  mass  of  the 
people,  who  were  too  gross  to  relish  or  perceive  this 
purity  and  wisdom,  —  but  among  a  very  few  of  the  bet 
ter  sort,  if  once  they  could  be  brought  to  listen  to  the 
description  of  the  religion.  And  this,  perhaps,  they 
might  have  done  if  it  had  been  taught  by  some  Greek 
or  Roman  philosophers,  famous  for  knowledge  and  wis 
dom.  But  the  Gospel  was  preached  by  men  of  a 
nation  which  the  Greeks  and  Romans  looked  down 
upon  as  barbarian ;  and  whose  religion,  especially,  they 
scorned  and  detested  for  being  so  different  from  their 
own.  And  not  only  did  the  Apostles  belong  to  this  de 
spised  nation,  but  they  were  the  outcasts  of  that  very 
nation,  bein^  rejected  and  abhorred  by  the  chief  part  of 
their  Jewish  brethren. 

If,  therefore,  they  had  come  among  the  Gentiles  teach 
ing  the  most  sublime  religious  doctrine,  and  trusting 
merely  to  the  excellence  of  what  they  taught,  it  is  im 
possible  they  should  have  even  had  a  hearing.  It  is 
not  enough  to  say  that  no  one  would  have  believed 
them ;  but  no  one  would  even  have  listened  to  them,  if 
they  had  not  first  roused  men's  serious  attention  by 
working  (as  we  are  told  they  did)  "  remarkable  [special] 
miracles."  (Acts  xix.  11.) 

§  6.  Afterwards,  indeed,  when  the  Gospel  had 
spread,  so  as  to  excite  general  attention,  many  men 
would  be  likely  to  listen  to  the  preaching  of  it  even  by 
persons  who  did  not  pretend  to  miraculous  power,  but 
who  merely  bore  witness  to  the  miracles  they  had  seen ; 
giving  proof,  at  the  same  time,  that  they  were  not  false 
witnesses  by  their  firmness  in  facing  persecution.  And 


228  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

this  was  certainly  a  good  ground  for  believing  their  tes 
timony.  For  though  men  may  be  mistaken  as  to  the 
opinions  which  they  sincerely  hold,  they  could  not  be 
mistaken  as  to  such  facts  as  the  Christian  miracles,  of 
which  they  professed  themselves  eyewitnesses;  as  the 
Apostles,  for  instance,  were  of  their  Master's  resurrec 
tion.  And  it  is  not  to  be  conceived  that  men  would 
expose  themselves  to  dangers  and  tortures  and  death  in 
attesting  false  stories,  which  they  must  have  known  to 
be  false.  If  there  had  been  any  well-contrived  impos 
ture  in  respect  of  pretended  miracles,  it  is  impossible  but 
that  some  persons  at  least,  out  of  the  many  hundreds 
brought  forward  as  eyewitnesses,  would  have  been  in 
duced  by  threats,  tortures,  or  bribes  to  betray  the  im 
posture. 

There  were  many,  therefore,  who  received  the  Gos 
pel —  and  with  good  reason  —  on  such  testimony  as 
this,  as  soon  as  they  could  be  brought  to  listen  to  and 
examine  it.  But,  in  the  first  instance,  the  Apostles 
could  not  have  brought  any  of  the  Gentiles,  at  least,  to 
listen  to  them,  if  they  had  not  begun  by  working  evident 
miracles  themselves.  A  handful  of  Jewish  strangers, 
of  humble  rank,  would  never  have  obtained  a  hearing 
among  the  most  powerful  and  most  civilized  and  proud 
est  nations  of  the  world,  if  they  had  not  at  first  roused 
their  attention  by  the  display  of  some  extraordinary 
powers. 


LESSON     VIII. 

WONDERS   AND    SIGNS. 

§  1.  IT  is  plain,  for  the  reasons  which  have  been  put 
before  you,  that  the  Apostles  must  have  roused  men's 
attention,  and  gained  themselves  a  hearing,  by  perform 
ing  —  as  our  books  tell  us  they  did  —  many  wonderful 
works.  And  these  works,  as  well  as  those  of  Jesus, 
which  they  related,  must  have  been  such  as  to  admit  of 
no  mistake  either  about  the  facts  or  about  their  being 
really  superhuman.  Else,  surrounded  as  they  were  by 
enemies,  and  with  men's  prejudices  opposed  to  them,  it 
seems  impossible  they  could  have  been  believed,  or  even 
attended  to.  If,  for  instance,  there  were  a  report  of 
some  sick  men  having  been  miraculously  cured  by  them, 
but  such  a  report  as  to  leave  a  doubt  either  as  to  the 
fact  of  the  cure  having  taken  place,  or  as  to  the  manner 
of  the  cure,  —  that  is,  whether  the  man  might  not  have 
recovered  by  natural  means,  —  any  such  doubt  would 
have  been  enough  to  have  shut  men's  ears  against 
them. 

And  besides  this,  it  was  necessary  that  the  miracles 
should  be  both  so  numerous  and  so  various  in  kind  as  to 
exceed  the  powers  generally  supposed  to  belong  to  magi 
cians.  For  most  persons  seem  to  have  thought  that  a 
magician  might,  through  the  aid  of  demons,  be  enabled 
20 


230  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

to  perform  some  miracles,  and  not  others  of  a  different 
kind.  We  find  it  related,  accordingly,  that  Jesus  not 
only  healed  the  lame  and  blind  and  sick,  some  present 
and  some  absent,  grown  persons  and  children,  but  also 
raised  the  dead,  fed  a  multitude  with  a  few  loaves,  stilled 
the  waves  and  winds  at  his  bidding,  blasted  a  tree  at  his 
word,  changed  water  into  wine,  &c.  And  this  seems  to 
have  been  no  more  than  a  necessary  condescension  to 
the  weakness  of  men's  minds  in  those  days.  They  did 
not  at  once  conclude  that  he  must  be  a  true  prophet 
from  his  working  one  miracle ;  but  said,  "  When  [the] 
Christ  cometh,  will  he  do  more  miracles  than  these 
which  this  man  doeth?  "  (John  vii.  31.)  So  also  Nico- 
demus  says,  not  "No  man  can  do  any  miracles,"  but 
"  No  man  can  do  these  miracles  which  thou  doest,  ex 
cept  God  be  with  him."  (John  iii.  2.)  And  the  disci 
ples,  who  had  witnessed  so  many  miraculous  cures,  were 
astonished,  we  are  told,  at  finding  that  Jesus  had  a 
command  over  the  storm.  "  What  manner  of  man  is 
this,  that  even  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  him?" 
(Matt.  viii.  27.) 

And  we  find  the  same  variety  also  in  the  miraculous 
gifts  possessed  by  the  Apostles,  and  bestowed  by  them 
on  other  Christians  (as  you  may  see  in  1  Cor.  xii.  and 
elsewhere). 

§  2.  You  should  observe,  too,  that  it  would  not  have 
satisfied  men's  minds  merely  to  see  some  extraordinary 
occurrence,  unless  it  were  also  something  plainly  done 
by  the  Apostles,  as  a  sign,  testifying  that  they  were  di 
vine  messengers.  It  would  have  been  impossible  for 
them,  in  the  midst  of  adversaries,  to  take  advantage  of 
some  remarkable  event,  calling  it  a  miracle,  and  to  ex 
plain  it  so  as  to  favor  their  own  pretensions. 


WONDERS    AND    SIGNS.  231 

This  has  often  been  done,  indeed,  in  support  of  some 
religion,  or  some  doctrine,  which  men  already  believe,  or 
are  inclined  to  believe.  The  Pagans  were,  many  of 
them,  ready  enough  to  attribute  anything  wonderful  to  a 
miraculous  interference  of  Jupiter  or  some  of  their  other 
gods.  And  so,  also,  Mohammed  easily  persuaded  his 
followers  that  some  of  his  victories  were  miraculous, 
and  that  God  sent  angels  to  fight  for  him.  He  was  a 
great  warrior,  and  his  followers,  being  full  of  enthusiasm, 
and  eager  for  conquest,  glory,  and  plunder,  often  defeat 
ed  a  very  superior  force  of  their  enemies,  and  gained 
victories,  which  may  be  rightly  called  wonderful,  though 
not  more  wonderful  than  several  which  have  been  gained 
by  others.  It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  Mohammed 
should  easily  have  persuaded  them  that  their  victories 
were  miraculous,  and  were  a  proof  that  God  was  on 
their  side. 

§  3.  In  all  times,  indeed,  men  are  to  be  found  who 
call  any  extraordinary  event  miraculous,  and  interpret  it 
so  as  to  favor  their  own  views  and  prejudices.  If  a 
man's  life  is  preserved  from  shipwreck,  or  any  other  dan 
ger,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  many  people  speak  of  it 
as  a  miraculous  escape.  Or  if  a  man  loses  his  life  in 
a  remarkable  manner,  or  a  plot  is  discovered  by  some 
curious  train  of  circumstances,  or,  in  short,  if  any  ex 
traordinary  event  takes  place,  there  are  persons  who  at 
once  will  call  it  a  miraculous  interference,  and  a  sign  of 
the  Divine  favor  or  displeasure  towards  some  of  the  par 
ties  concerned. 

§  4.  But  it  is  very  rash  to  pronounce  in  this  manner 
as  to  any  remarkable  event  that  occurs.  A  mere  won 
derful  occurrence,  of  itself,  proves  nothing  ;  but  when  a 


232  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

man  does  something  that  is  beyond  human  power  to  do, 
or  foretells  something  beyond  human  foresight,  and  makes 
this  a  testimony  of  his  coming  from  God,  it  is  then,  and 
then  only,  that  he  is  properly  said  to  offer  a  miraculous 
proof.  And  accordingly  the  works  performed  by  Jesus 
and  his  Apostles  are  called  in  Scripture,  not  merely  (as 
they  really  were)  Miracles  (that  is,  wonders),  but  Signs  ; 
that  is,  miraculous  evidence.  (Mark  xvi.  20.) 

For  instance,  that  a  violent  storm  should  suddenly 
cease,  and  be  succeeded  by  a  complete  calm,  is  some 
thing  extraordinary ;  but  of  itself  proves  nothing.  But 
when  the  disciples  heard  Jesus  give  his  command,  and 
rebuke  the  wind  and  waves,  which  immediately  became 
still,  they  justly  regarded  this  as  a  sign  that  God  was 
with  him.  (Matt.  viii.  2G.)  So  also,  that  a  person 
seemingly  dead  should  suddenly  revive  and  rise  up,  is  in 
deed  a  wonderful  event ;  but,  of  itself,  is  merely  a  won 
der.  But  when  Jesus  told  the  child  of  Jairus,  (Luke  viii. 
54,)  and  the  widow's  son  of  Nain,  (Luke  vii.  14,)  to  rise 
up,  and  each  of  them  did  so  at  his  word,  these  became 
proofs  of  his  divine  mission.  These  were  among  the 
"  works  which,"  as  he  said,  "  bore  witness  of  Him." 
Again,  if  any  one  who  is  opposing  some  particular  relig 
ious  sect  or  system,  should  suddenly  lose  his  eyesight,  it 
would  be  very  presumptuous  to  pronounce  at  once  that 
he  was  struck  blind  as  a  divine  judgment.  But  when 
St.  Paul  rebuked  Klymas,  and  declared  that  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  was  upon  him,  and  that  he  should  become  blind, 
and  immediately  a  darkness  did  fall  upon  him,  (Acts 
xiii.  10,  11,)  the  Roman  governor  justly  regarded  this 
as  a  sign  ;  and  believed  accordingly  in  what  Paul  was 
teaching. 


WONDERS    AND    SIGNS.  233 

§  5.  Anything  wonderful,  in  short,  is  then  (and  then 
only)  a  miraculous  sign,  when  some  one  performs  or 
foretells  it,  in  a  manner  surpassing  human  power,  so  as 
to  make  it  attest  the  truth  of  what  he  says.  And  this 
may  fairly  be  required  of  any  one  professing  to  be  a 
messenger  from  Heaven.  For  if  a  stranger  were  to 
come  to  you  professing  to  bring  a  message  from  some 
friend  of  yours,  you  would  naturally  expect  him  to  show 
you  that  friend's  handwriting,  or  some  other  such  token, 
to  prove  that  he  really  was  so  sent.  And  so  also,  when 
a  man  comes  to  this  country  as  an  ambassador  from  some 
other  country,  he  is  required  first  to  produce  his  "  cre 
dentials"  as  they  are  called ;  that  is,  papers  which  prove 
that  he  is  no  impostor,  but  is  really  commissioned  as  an 
ambassador.  And  it  is  equally  right,  that  men  profess 
ing  to  bring  a  message  immediately  from  God  should  be 
required  to  show  what  may  be  called  their  "creden 
tials";  that  is,  such  miraculous  powers  as  God  alone 
could  have  bestowed,  as  a  sign  or  token,  to  prove  the 
reality  of  their  divine  commission. 

§  6.  But  credulous  and  superstitious  people  often 
overlook  this  rule ;  and  are  ready  to  interpret  as  a  mi 
raculous  sign  any  remarkable  occurrence,  —  such  as  a 
victory,  or  a  famine,  or  a  thunder-storm,  or  a  sudden  re 
covery  from  sickness,  or  the  like,  —  when  these  are  so 
explained  as  to  favor,  or  at  least  not  oppose,  their  preju 
dices,  and  the  religious  belief  they  are  already  inclined 
to.  The  Apostles,  however,  found  no  such  prejudices  in 
their  favor.  They  would  never  have  been  allowed  to 
explain  in  their  own  way  anything  strange  that  might 
happen.  On  the  contrary,  all  the  superstitious  credulity 
of  the  people  was  opposed  to  them.  And  instead  of 
20* 


234  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

men's  being  ready  to  cry  "  Miracle ! "  when  anything 
extraordinary  occurred,  and  to  interpret  it  in  favor  of 
Christianity,  the  Apostles  found  the  most  credulous  men 
disposed  rather  to  attribute  the  Christian  miracles  to 
magic. 

In  order  to  gain  converts,  therefore,  or  even  to  obtain 
a  hearing,  they  must  have  shown  (as  our  books  tell  us 
they  did)  many  mighty  works,  evidently  performed  by 
them,  as  "  the  Signs  of  an  Apostle." 


LESSON  IX. 

SUMMARY    OF   EVIDENCES. 

§  1.  How  comes  it  that  some  persons  pretend  that  an 
ordinary  Christian  cannot  be  taught  to  understand  the 
evidence  for  their  religion,  but  must  be  content  to  take 
it  for  granted,  as  the  Pagans  do  theirs,  because  they 
have  been  brought  up  to  it  ?  It  is  because,  when  they 
speak  of  "  the  evidences  of  Christianity,"  they  mean  all 
the  evidences.  And  certainly,  to  be  well  acquainted 
with  all  of  these,  would  be  enough  to  occupy  the  whole 
life  of  a  studious  man,  even  though  he  should  devote 
himself  entirely  to  that  study.  Indeed,  to  go  through 
ah1  the  books  that  have  been  written  on  the  subject,  and 
to  examine  and  thoroughly  master  all  the  arguments  on 
both  sides  that  have  ever  been  brought  forward,  would 
be  more  than  any  one  man  could  accomplish,  even  if  he 
had  nothing  else  to  do.  But  there  are  things  which  you 
may  have  very  good  reasons  for  believing,  though  you 
may  not  know  a  tenth  part  of  the  proofs  of  them  that 
have  been,  or  might  be,  produced.  For  instance,  you 
may  have  good  grounds  for  believing  that  there  is  such 
a  city  as  Rome,  and  that  it  was  formerly  the  capital  of  a 
mighty  empire,  of  which  Britain  was  one  of  the  prov 
inces.  But  all  the  evidence  that  might  be  brought 
forward  in  proof  of  this  would  be  enough  to  occupy  a  i 


236  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

learned  man  for  many  years,  if  he  were  to  examine  it 
thoroughly.  It  is  sufficient  in  any  case,  if  we  have 
enough  evidence  to  warrant  our  belief;  even  though 
there  should  be  much  more  evidence  of  the  same  thing 
besides,  which  we  have  not  examined.  Although,  there 
fore,  the  generality  of  Christians  cannot  be  expected  to 
know  the  whole,  or  nearly  the  whole,  of  the  proofs  of 
their  religion,  that  is  no  reason  against  their  seeking, 
and  obtaining,  proofs  enough  to  convince  a  reasonable 
mind. 

Even  that  small  portion  of  the  evidences  you  have 
now  been  learning,  is  perhaps  more  than  sufficient  for 
this  purpose ;  though  it  is  but  a  part  even  of  what  any 
man  is  able  to  understand. 

§  2.  It  is  certain  that  Christianity  now  exists;  and 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  acknowledged  as  Lord  and  Master, 
(in  words,  at  least,)  among  all  the  most  civilized  people 
of  the  world.  It  is  certain,  too,  that  this  cannot  have 
been  always  the  case ;  but  that  Christianity  must  have 
been  introduced,  by  some  means  or  other,  among  the 
Jews  and  Pagans ;  who  must  have  had  some  reasons 
that  appeared  to  them  very  strong,  to  induce  them  to 
change  the  religions  they  had  been  brought  up  in. 

You  know,  also,  that  this  great  revolution  in  the 
religion  of  the  world  was  begun  by  a  person  of  humble 
rank,  in  one  of  the  least  powerful  and  least  esteemed  of 
the  ancient  nations.  It  was  not  a  mighty  warrior,  or  a 
rich  and  powerful  prince,  or  a  learned  philosopher,  but 
a  Jewish  peasant,  that  brought  about  this  wonderful 
change.  And  you  are  sure,  accordingly,  that  no  one, 
whether  friend  or  enemy,  can  reasonably  doubt  that 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  at  any  rate  the  most  extraordinary 


SUMMARY   OF   EVIDENCES.  237 

and  most  important  personage  that  ever  appeared  in 
the  world. 

§  3.  Again,  you  have  seen  that  there  is  good  reason 
to  be  certain  that  Jesus  and  his  Apostles  propagated 
their  religion  by  an  appeal  to  miracles;  that  is,  that 
they  professed  to  perform  works  beyond  human  power, 
as  a  sign  of  their  being  messengers  from  God.  And 
no  one  has  ever  been  able  to  point  out  any  other  way 
in  which  they  did,  or  could,  introduce  the  religion.  Nor 
can  we  conceive  how  a  few  Jewish  peasants,  without 
power,  or  wealth,  or  learning,  or  popular  prejudice  on 
their  side,  could  have  been,  at  first,  either  believed  or 
listened  to,  if  they  had  not  begun  by  appealing  to  the 
testimony  of  miraculous  signs.  Now  this  would  have 
been  no  help,  but  a  hinderance  to  their  preaching,  if 
their  pretensions  to  superhuman  powers  had  not  been 
true;  because,  surrounded  as  they  were  by  adversa 
ries,  and  men  prejudiced  against  them,  any  attempt  at 
imposture  would  have  been  detected,  and  would  have 
exposed  them  to  general  scorn.  And,  accordingly,  it 
does  not  appear  that  any  of  the  Pagan  religions  —  in 
short,  any  religion  except  ours  —  ever  was  first  intro 
duced  and  established  among  adversaries  by  an  appeal 
to  the  evidence  of  miracles. 

We  have  good  grounds  for  believing,  therefore,  that 
the  people  of  those  times,  even  the  enemies  of  Chris 
tianity,  found  it  impossible  to  deny  the  fact  of  the  mira 
cles  being  wrought  (see  Acts  iv.  16)  ;  and  thence  were 
driven  to  account  for  them  as  the  work  of  evil  spirits. 
And  this  we  find  recorded,  not  only  in  the  writings  of 
Christian  authors,  but  also  in  those  of  Jewish  and  Pagan 
adversaries. 


238  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

-  §  4.  We  find  accounts,  too,  in  the  works  of  Pagan 
writers,  as  well  as  in  the  New  Testament,  of  the  severe 
persecutions  which  great  numbers  of  the  early  Chris 
tians  had  to  encounter.  And  this  furnishes  a  proof  of 
their  sincerely  believing  not  only  the  truth  of  their 
religion,  but  also  the  miracles  which  many  of  them 
professed  to  have  seen,  and  in  which  they  could  not 
have  been  mistaken.  For,  if  these  miracles  had  been 
impostures,  it  is  incredible  that  such  numbers  of  men 
should  have  exposed  themselves  to  dangers  and  hard 
ships  to  attest  the  truth  of  them,  without  any  one  being 
induced  by  suffering  (and  this  though  some  of  them 
were  driven  to  renounce  Christianity)  to  betray  the 
imposture. 

§^5.    That  the  works  of  these  writers  have  really 

jcome  down  to  us,  and  that  the  general  sense  of  them 
is  given  in  our  translations,  you  have  good  reason  to 
be  convinced,  even  without  understanding  the  original 
languages,  or  examining  ancient  manuscripts.  You 
need  not  take  the  word  of  a  scholar  for  this,  or  feel 
such  full  confidence  in  the  honesty  of  any  two  or  three 
learned  men,  as  to  trust  that  they  would  not  deceive 
you  in  anything,  and  to  believe  on  their  authority. 
There  is,  and  has  been,  so  great  a  number  of  learned 
men,  in  various  countries  and  ages,  some  opposed  to 
Christianity,  and  others,  Christians  of  different  sects, 
opposed  to  each  other,  that  they  never  could  have 
agreed  in  forging  a  book,  or  putting  forth  a  false  trans 
lation.  On  the  contrary,  any  supposed  mistake  or 
fraud  of  any  one  of  them,  the  rest  are  ready  to  expose. 

i  So  that  there  is  no  reasonable  doubt  as  to  anything  in 
which  they  all  agree. 


SUMMARY    OF    EVIDENCES.  239 

And  this,  you  have  seen,  is  the  same  sort  of  evidence 
on  which  most  men  believe  that  the  earth  is  round,  — 
that  there  is  such  a  city  as  Rome,  —  and  many  other 
things  which  they  have  not  themselves  seen,  but  which 
rest  on  the  uncontradicted  testimony  of  many  indepen 
dent  witnesses. 

§  6.  You  have  seen  also,  that,  in  respect  of  the  books 
of  the  Old  Testament,  there  is  this  very  remarkable 
circumstance,  that  they  are  preserved  with  the  utmost 
care  and  reverence  by  the  Jews,  who  reject  Jesus 
Christ,  although  these  books  contain  what  appear  to 
Christians  most  remarkable  prophecies  of  Him. 

And  it  was  pointed  out  to  you,  that  there  are  many 
parts  of  these  prophecies  of  which  we  see  the  fulfilment 
before  us,  though  the  early  Christians  did  not ;  namely, 
that  a  religion  should  arise  among  the  Jews,  which 
would  have  a  wide  spread  among  the  Gentiles,  but  yet 
that  it  should  be  a  new  religion,  not  the  same  as  taught 
by  Moses ;  and  that  this  religion  should  spring,  not  from 
the  whole  nation,  but  from  one  individual  of  that  nation, 
and  He  a  person  despised,  rejected,  and  persecuted  even 
to  death  by  his  own  people. 

All  this,  which  is  so  unlike  what  any  one  would  have 
foretold  from  mere  guess,  but  which  we  see  has  actually 
come  to  pass,  is  prophesied  in  books  which  enemies  of 
Christianity  (the  unbelieving  Jews  of  this  day)  rever 
ence  as  divinely  inspired. 

Now  if  you  reflect  attentively  on  all  these  heads  of 
evidence  which  you  have  been  learning,  and  of  which 
this  short  summary  has  just  been  put  before  you,  you 
will  perceive  that  even  a  portion  of  it  might  be  fairly 
considered  as  a  strong  reason  to  be  given  of  the  hope  i 


240  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

that  is  in  you ;  but  that,  when  you  take  the  whole  of  it 
together,  it  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  any  reasonable  mind. 
For  to  believe  that  so  many  marks  of  truth  should  be 
brought  together  by  chance,  or  by  man's  contrivance,  in 
favor  of  a  false  story,  —  to  believe  this,  I  say,  would 
be  much  greater  credulity  than  to  believe  that  the  Gos 
pel  really  was  from  God. 

§  7.  These  marks  of  truth,  you  should  observe,  are 
(as  has  been  said)  a  vast  deal  stronger  when  taken 
together,  and  confirming  each  other.  For  each  of  the 
separate  proofs  may  be  regarded  as  a  distinct  witness. 
And  when  several  independent  witnesses  give  the  same 
evidence,  their  agreement  may  prove  the  matter  com 
pletely,  even  when  no  one  of  those  witnesses  is,  by  himself, 
deserving  of  confidence.  Suppose,  for  instance,  that  one 
out  of  several  men  —  none  of  them  much  to  be  relied 
on  —  gives  a  particular  account  of  some  transaction 
which  he  professes  to  have  seen  :  you  may  think  it  not 
unlikely  that  he  may  have  invented  the  story,  or  have 
dreamed  it :  but  then,  if  his  account  is  confirmed  by  an 
other,  and  another,  of  these  men,  who,  you  are  sure, 
could  have  had  no  communication  with  the  first,  you 
then  conclude  that  it  must  be  true  ;  because  they  could 
not  have  chanced,  all  of  them,  to  invent  the  same  story, 
or  to  have  the  same  dream.  And  so  it  is,  when  you 
have  a  number  of  different  marks  of  truth  meeting  to 
gether,  as  they  do,  in  the  Gospel  History.  Even  if 
each  of  these,  taken  separately,  had  much  less  force 
than  it  actually  has,  it  would  be  infinitely  unlikely  that 
they  should  all  happeen  to  be  found  united  in  a  false 
!.  story. 

§  8.  These  arguments,  however,  have  been  laid  be- 


SUMMARY   OF   EVIDENCES.  241 

fore  you  very  briefly;  and  hereafter,  if  you  will  study  < 
them  at  leisure,  and  dwell  upon  them  more  fully,  in 
your  own  mind,  and  in  conversation  with  others,  you 
will  see  the  force  of  them  still  more  and  more. 

But  though  these  arguments  are  enough  to  satisfy 
you  that  an  ordinary  Christian,  who  does  not  pretend  to 
be  a  learned  man,  may  yet  believe  in  his  religion  on 
better  grounds  than  the  Pagans  have  for  believing 
theirs,  there  are  many  other  arguments  besides ;  some 
of  which  are  quite  within  the  reach  of  the  unlearned. 
In  particular,  what  is  called  the  internal  evidence  of 
Christianity,  that  is,  the  proof  drawn  from  the  character 
of  the  religion  itself,  and  of  the  Christian  Scriptures,  — 
is  a  kind  of  evidence  which  you  will  find  more  and 
more  satisfactory  the  more  you  reflect  on  and  study  the 
subject,  if  you  endeavor  at  the  same  time  sincerely  to 
act  up  to  the  knowledge  you  acquire,  and  to  be  the 
better  for  it  in  your  life. 


21 


LESSON  X . 

INTERNAL  EVIDENCES. PART  I. 

§  1.  IF  the  Christian  Religion  was  not  from  God,  it 
I  must  have  been  from  Man.  It  must  have  been  a  "  cun 
ningly  devised  fable"  of  artful  impostors,  or  else  a 
dream  of  crazy  enthusiasts,  or  some  mixture  of  these 
two,  if  it  was  not  really,  what  it  professed  to  be,  a  divine 
revelation. 

To  examine  then  the  internal  evidence,  is  to  inquire 
which  of  these  is  the  most  likely  supposition,  looking  to 
the  character  of  the  Gospel  itself ;  to  consider  whether 
the  religion  itself,  and  the  Christian  Scriptures,  seem 
more  likely  to  have  proceeded  from  the  -God  of  truth,  or 
from  mere  men,  who  were  either  designing  impostors, 
or  wild  enthusiasts. 

Now,  it  may  be  said,  that  we  are  very  imperfect 
judges  of  the  question  what  is  likely  to  have  come  from 
God,  since  we  have  such  a  faint  and  imperfect  knowl 
edge  of  Him ;  so  that  we  cannot  decide  with  any  con 
fidence  what  we  ought  to  expect  in  a  divine  revelation. 
This  is  very  true.  But  you  should  remember  that  the 
question  is  not  whether  Christianity  seems  to  us  likely, 
in  itself,  to  have  come  from  God,  and  is  just  such  as  we 
should  have  expected  a  divine  revelation  to  be  ;  but 
'  whether  it  is  more  likely  to  have  come  from  God,  or 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  243 

from  Man  ?  For  we  know  that  the  religion  does  exist ;  I 
and  therefore  we  have  to  consider  not  merely  whether 
it  is  like  what  might  be  looked  for  in  a  true  revelation 
from  God,  but  also  whether  it  is  unlike  what  might  be 
looked  for  in  the  work  of  human  impostors  or  enthu 
siasts  ? 

§  2.  Now,  this  is  a  question  of  which  we  are  able  to 
judge ;  because  we  have,  or  may  acquire,  such  a  knowl 
edge  of  human  nature  as  to  decide,  on  good  grounds, 
what  is  likely  to  have  proceeded  from  man's  device. 
And  the  more  you  learn  of  mankind,  and  of  the  works 
of  various  writers,  and,  again,  the  more  you  study  the 
Christian  religion,  the  more  you  will  see  how  different  it 
is  from  any  religion  that  mere  men  (and  particularly 
Jews)  would  have  been  likely  to  contrive. 

A  great  part  of  this  internal  evidence  is  such,  as  to 
require  some  experience  and  knowledge  of  the  world, 
and  reflection,  as  well  as  acquaintance  with  the  Scrip 
tures,  to  enable  any  one  to  take  it  in  properly.  But 
still  there  are  several  internal  marks  of  truth  that 
may  be  pointed  out ;  which,  though  but  a  small  part  of 
what  you  may  hereafter  find,  are  yet  of  great  impor 
tance. 

§  3.  For  example,  if  the  Christian  religion  had  been 
contrived  and  propagated  by  a  number  of  designing 
men,  in  such  a  way  as  would  have  seemed  to  them  the 
best  suited  for  gaining  converts,  you  may  be  sure  that 
they  would  naturally  have  put  forth  some  book  purport 
ing  to  be  written  by  Jesus  himself,  laying  down  the 
principles  and  precepts  of  his  religion,  and  answering  to 
the  books  of  the  Law  written  by  Moses.  All  men  who 
were  at  all  disposed  to  listen  to  the  preaching  of  the 


244  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

Gospel,  and  to  examine  the  Christian  Scriptures,  would 
have  been  likely  to  inquire,  in  the  first  place,  (as,  no 
doubt,  many  persons  did,)  for  something  written  by  the 
very  Founder  of  the  new  religion.  If,  therefore,  there 
had  been  any  forgery,  the  forged  books,  or  at  least  the 
principal  of  them,  would  certainly  have  been  attributed 
to  Jesus  Christ  as  their  author.  And  all  that  were  not 
attributed  to  Him  would  naturally  have  been  published 
with  the  names  of  the  most  distinguished  and  eminent 
of  his  Apostles. 

Now,  the  fact  is,  as  you  know,  that,  of  all  the  Chris 
tian  Scriptures,  there  is  no  one  book  professing  to  be 
written  by  Christ  himself;  and  of  the  four  Gospels, 
there  are  only  two  that  are  attributed  even  to  any  of  the 
Apostles  as  the  writers,  St.  Matthew's  and  St.  John's ; 
and,  again,  of  these  two,  St.  John  alone  is  much  distin 
guished  among  the  Apostles,  very  little  being  recorded 
of  St.  Matthew  in  particular.  The  other  two  Gospels, 
and  also  the  book  of  Acts,  which  records  the  first  prop 
agation  of  Christianity,  have  come  down  to  us  as  the 
work  of  two  men,  who  appear,  indeed,  to  have  been 
companions  of  some  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  Apos 
tles,  but  who  did  not  claim  to  be  Apostles  them 
selves. 

All  this  is  just  the  reverse  of  what  might  have 
been  expected  from  crafty  and  designing  men,  seeking 
to  impose  on  the  credulous  for  the  purpose  of  gaining 
converts. 

§  4.  You  should  remember,  too,  that  if  the  books  of 
the  New  Testament,  which  contain  accounts  of  so  many 
wonderful  occurrences,  were  really  published  near  the 
very  time  when  these  occurrences  were  said  to  have  taken 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  245 

place,  the  accounts  in  these  books  must  be,  substantially, 
true  ;  because  any  material  falsity  would  have  been  im 
mediately  exposed  by  the  adversaries  of  Christianity. 
And  if,  on  the  other  hand,  these  books  had  been  forged 
a  hundred  or  two  hundred  years  later,  and  had  been 
falsely  attributed  to  the  authors  whose  names  they  bear, 
we  cannot  doubt  that  some  at  least  of  those  books  would 
have  been  attributed  to  the  great  Founder  of  the  re 
ligion  himself. 

And  moreover,  on  that  supposition,  —  that  is,  suppos 
ing  the  books  to  have  been  composed  at  a  later  period 
than  that  of  the  Apostles,  —  we  should  undoubtedly 
have  found  in  them  the  title  of  CHRISTIANS  applied  to 
the  believers  in  Jesus  by  themselves.  For  that  title  has 
been  so  applied,  in  every  age  down  to  this  day,  by  ah1 
Christian  writers  since  the  times  of  the  Apostles.  And 
therefore  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  any  writer  in  the 
second  or  third  or  fourth  century,  who  was  composing 
pretended  gospels  and  epistles,  would  have  continually 
called  Christians  by  that  very  name  which  he  and  all 
his  neighbors  had  been  accustomed  so  to  employ. 

But  in  all  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  we  do  not 
once  find  the  title  of  Christians  applied  ly  themselves  to 
one  another.  The  word  occurs  but  three  times  in  the 
New  Testament ;  in  the  llth  chapter  of  Acts,  in  the 
26th  chapter  of  Acts,  and  in  the  1st  Epistle  of  Peter, 
chapter  4 ;  and  in  no  one  of  these  places  is  it  thus  em 
ployed.  It  is  mentioned  as  a  name  first  given  to  the 
disciples  at  Antioch  in  Syria ;  doubtless  by  the  Romans, 
as  the  word  is  of  Latin  formation.  King  Agrippa, 
again,  uses  the  word  in  speaking  to  Paul ;  and  the 
Apostle  Peter  introduces  the  word  as  denoting  what 
21* 


246  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

was  accounted  a  crime  by  the  heathen  rulers.  "  If  any 
man,"  says  he,  "  suffer  for  being  a  Christian,  let  him  not 
be  ashamed." 

But  addressing  the  Christians  themselves,  the  Apostles 
never  call  them  by  that  name,  but  "  believers "  [or 
"faithful"'],  "  elect  "  [or  "  chosen  "],  "  saints  "  [or  "  holy" 
that  is,  set  apart  and  dedicated  to  God's  service],  "  breth 
ren"  &c. 

The  reason  why  the  Apostles  always  used  these  names 
in  preference  to  the  new  name  of  Christians  probably 
was  in  order  to  point  out  that  Christianity  was  not  so 
much  a  new  religion,  as  a  continuation  and  fulfilment  of 
the  old,  and  a  completion  of  God's  original  design  ;  and 
that  all  believers,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  were  admit 
ted  to  the  same  privileges  —  only  much  enlarged  — 
which  had  belonged  to  God's  people  Israel.  Now  the 
Israelites  are  continually  called  in  the  Old  Testament 
«  Brethren,"  "  a  Holy  People  "  [or  «  Saints  "],  God's 
"  Chosen "  [or  "  Elect "]  People,  &c.  And  hence  it 
was,  no  doubt,  that  the  Apostles  chose  to  confine  them 
selves  to  those  titles. 

After  their  time,  when  Jerusalem  and  its  temple  had 
been  destroyed,  and  the  admission  of  Gentiles  into  the 
number  of  God's  people  ceased  to  appear  anything 
strange,  —  the  Church  consisting  chiefly  of  Gentiles,  — 
then  Christians  naturally  adopted  among  themselves  the 
title  which  had  long  been  in  common  use  among  the  rest 
of  the  world. 

But  whatever  was  the  cause  of  the  earliest  Christians 
abstaining  from  the  use  of  that  title,  ilicfact  that  they 
did  so  abstain  is  clear. 

Here,  therefore,  you  have  a  decisive  INTERNAL  PROOF 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  247 

of  the  antiquity  of  our  sacred  books.  Had  they  been 
composed  at  a  later  period  than  that  of  the  Apostles,  we 
should  have  found  in  them  the  disciples  continually  ad 
dressed  by  the  name  of  Christians;  which  is,  in  fact, 
never  once  so  used. 

§  5.  Again,  it  is  certain  that,  at  the  time  when  Jesus 
appeared,  the  Jews  were  earnestly  expecting  a  Christ 
or  Messiah  (that  is,  an  anointed  Deliverer),  who 
should  be  a  mighty  prince,  and  free  them  from  subjec 
tion  to  the  Romans,  and  make  them  a  powerful  nation, 
ruling  over  all  the  Gentiles.  And  this  is  what  is  still 
expected  by  the  Jews  at  this  day.  Now,  if  Jesus  and 
his  Apostles  had  been  enthusiasts  or  impostors,  or  a 
mixture  of  the  two,  they  would  most  likely  have  con 
formed  to  the  prevailing  expectations  of  the  people. 
They  would  have  been  likely  to  give  out  that  the 
"  kingdom  of  heaven  "  which  was  "  at  hand "  was  a 
glorious  worldly  empire,  such  as  the  Jews  had  fixed 
their  hopes  on,  instead  of  a  "  kingdom  not  of  this  world," 
which  was  what  they  did  preach. 

And  we  know  that  the  several  pretended  Christs  who 
appeared  a  little  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  even  after  it,  did  profess,  each,  to  come  as  a  tempo 
ral  deliverer  and  conqueror,  agreeably  to  the  prevailing 
notions. 

Jesus  and  his  disciples,  on  the  contrary,  not  only  pro 
claimed  no  temporal  kingdom,  but  did  not  even  promise 
any  worldly  success  and  prosperity  to  their  followers ; 
but  told  them  that  "  in  the  world  they  should  have  trib 
ulation."  (John  xvi.  33.)  And  this  is  the  more  re 
markable,  because  the  Jews  had  been  always  brought 
up  in  the  notion  that  worldly  prosperity  was  a  sign  of 


248  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

God's  favor ;  such  being  the  rewards  promised  in  the 
Mosaic  law.  The  hardships  and  afflictions  in  this  life, 
which  men  were  told  they  must  make  up  their  minds  to  if 
they  became  Christians,  were  not  only  disheartening,  but 
also  likely  to  raise  a  prejudice  in  their  minds  against 
Jesus  and  his  disciples,  as  if  they  could  not  be  really 
favored  by  God ;  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah, 
"We  did  esteem  Him  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and 
afflicted"  (liii.  4). 

All  this,  therefore,  is  what  either  impostors  or  enthu 
siasts  of  any  nation,  but  especially  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
would  have  been  very  unlikely  to  teach. 

§  6.  Again,  if  the  Apostles  had  been  designing  men, 
willing  to  flatter  the  prejudices  of  the  Jews  for  the  sake 
of  making  converts,  but  yet  afraid  of  proclaiming  Christ 
as  a  temporal  king  and  deliverer  for  fear  of  provoking 
the  Romans,  they  would  at  least  have  taught  that  the 
Jews  were  to  have  a  spiritual  superiority ;  that  is,  that 
they  were  to  be  still  God's  peculiar  people  in  a  religious 
point  of  view.  They  would  have  taught  that  Jerusalem 
was  still  to  be  the  Holy  City,  and  that  all  men  were  to 
come  thither  to  worship  and  offer  sacrifices  in  the  Tem 
ple,  and  were  to  observe  all  the  laws  of  Moses,  in  order 
to  obtain  God's  favor.  This  would  have  been  the  most 
acceptable  doctrine  to  the  Jews ;  and  what  the  Apostles, 
being  themselves  Jews,  would  hardly  have  failed  to  teach 
if  the  Gospel  had  been  a  scheme  of  their  devising.  And 
accordingly  we  learn  from  the  Acts,  and  from  several  of 
St.  Paul's  Epistles  (especially  that  to  the  Galatians), 
that  many  of  the  Jewish  converts  did  labor  to  bring  the 
Gentile  Christians  to  the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  law. 
But  the  Apostles  never  would  admit  this  doctrine  ;  but 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  249 

taught  that  the  Gentile  Christians  were  not  to  take  up 
on  them  the  yoke  of  the  Jewish  law,  and  were  perfectly 
on  a  level  with  their  Jewish  brethren ;  and  that  under 
the  Gospel,  Jerusalem  and  its  temple  had  no  particular 
sanctity. 

Now  all  this  is  just  the  opposite  of  what  might  have 
been  expected  of  impostors  or  enthusiasts  preaching  a 
religion  of  their  own  fancy  or  contrivance. 

§  7.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  to  have  given  this  pre-em 
inence  to  the  Jews,  and  their  city  and  temple,  though  it 
would  have  been  flattering  to  the  Jewish  prejudices,  and 
might  have  been  likely  to  allure  converts  of  that  nation, 
would  not  have  been  so  acceptable  to  the  Gentiles  as  a 
religion  which  should  have  put  them  on  an  equal  footing 
with  the  Jews.  But  if  the  Gospel  had  been  artfully  framed 
to  gratify  and  allure  the  Gentiles,  it  would  at  least  have 
one  ordinance  which  would  have  been  acceptable  to  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles  alike ;  namely,  the  slaying  of  leasts  in 
sacrifice.  In  this  point,  the  Jewish  and  all  the  different 
Pagan  religions  agreed.  Sheep  and  oxen  were  slain  as 
burnt-offerings,  on  the  altars  both  of  Jehovah  and  the 
heathen  gods.  Indeed,  it  is  a  kind  of  worship  so  suit 
able  to  men's  notions,  that  it  was  revived,  several  ages 
after,  by  the  Mohammedans,  who  have  a  sacrifice  of  a 
camel  on  certain  festivals,  as  an  ordinance  of  their  re 
ligion.  But  at  the  time  when  Christianity  first  arose, 
neither  Jew  nor  Pagan  had  ever  heard  of  or  conceived 
such  a  thing  as  a  religion  in  which  no  animals  were 
sacrificed.  They  had  always  been  so  accustomed  to 
these  offerings,  that  they  most  likely  regarded  them  as 
essential  to  every  religion,  and  were  astonished  and 
shocked  at  finding  that  the  Christian  religion  was  with- 


250  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

out  them.  And  it  is  incredible  that  Christianity  should 
have  been  without  them,  if  it  had  been  a  religion  in 
vented  by  men.  It  would  never  have  entered  into  the 
minds  of  its  authors  to  make  it  an  exception  to  all  the 
religions  that  existed,  or  that  they  had  ever  heard  of; 
and  that,  too,  in  a  point  which  would  be  likely  to  shock 
all  men's  feelings  and  prejudices. 

The  whole  character,  indeed,  of  the  Christian  religion 
differs  so  widely,  in  many  particulars,  both  from  the 
Jewish  and  from  all  the  other  religions  which  had  ever 
existed  in  the  world,  that  one  cannot  conceive  how  any 
men  could,  of  themselves,  have  thought  of  any  such 
system,  much  less  thought  of  it  as  likely  to  be  well 
received. 

And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  character  of  Jesus 
himself,  as  drawn  by  the  Evangelists.  It  is  quite 
unlike  all  that  had  ever  before  appeared,  or  been  de 
scribed  or  imagined. 

§  8.  Another  point  to  be  observed  is  this :  that  mere 
men,  seeking  to  propagate  their  religion  in  whatever 
way  they  might  think  best,  would  naturally  have  been 
so  eager  to  make  converts  that  they  would  not  have 
insisted  very  much  on  a  strict  moral  life  in  those  who 
did  not  show  great  zeal  in  their  Master's  cause ;  but 
would  have  allowed  active  services  to  their  party  to 
make  amends  for  some  neglect  of  other  duties.  Mo 
hammed  accordingly  declared  that  the  highest  place  in 
the  Divine  favor  belonged  to  those  who  fought  bravely 
in  his  cause.  And  in  almost  all  sects  and  parties  you 
may  see  the  same  disposition  in  men  to  reckon  zeal  in 
their  cause  as  a  virtue  so  great  that  it  will  excuse  many 
and  considerable  faults  in  private  life. 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  251 

This  mode  of  judging,  which  is  so  natural  to  man,  is 
just  the  opposite  of  what  we  find  in  Jesus  Christ  and 
his  Apostles.  They  not  only  taught  their  followers  to 
be  pure  and  upright  [righteous],  and  kind  and  humble, 
but  taught  them  also  that  nothing  they  could  say  or  do 
in  the  cause  of  the  Christian  faith  could  make  up  for 
the  want  of  these  Christian  virtues,  or  would  be  at  all 
accepted  by  their  Master.  He  not  only  compares  a  man 
who  should  hear  his  precepts  without  acting  upon  them 
to  one  who  "  built  a  house  on  the  sand,"  and  reproaches 
those  who  called  him  "  Lord !  Lord  ! "  and  "  did  not  the 
things  which  he  said"  (Matt.  vii.  26,  Luke  vi.  46) ;  but 
He  also  declares  that  those  who  had  "  preached  in  his 
name,"  and  in  his  name  even  "  done  many  wonderful 
works,"  should  be  disowned  and  rejected  by  him  if  they 
were  "  workers  of  iniquity."  (Matt.  vii.  22,  23.)  And 
the  Apostles,  in  like  manner,  taught  their  converts  that 
their  professing  the  Christian  faith  was  a  reason  for  re 
quiring  not  the  less,  but  the  more,  strictness  of  morals 
from  them  (1  Cor.  v.  11,  12);  and  that  even  the  mi 
raculous  powers  bestowed  on  them  were  worthless  if 
they  had  not  that  charity  which  is  humble,  gentle, 
patient,  and  self-denying.  (1  Cor.  xiii.) 

All  this  is  what  we  might  have  expected  from  teach 
ers  sent  from  God.  And  experience  shows  how  differ 
ent  it  is  from  what  might  have  been  expected  of  mere 
human  teachers,  acting  according  to  their  own  judgment 
and  their  natural  feelings. 


LESSON  XI. 

INTERNAL  EVIDENCES. FART  II. 

§  1.  You  may  observe,  again,  that  the  kind  of  moral 
duty  which  Jesus  and  his  Apostles  taught  was  not 
what  was  the  most  likely  to  gain  them  popularity  with 
their  hearers.  The  Jews  had  a  great  deal  of  national 
pride  in  being  God's  holy  and  peculiar  people;  they 
looked  on  the  Gentiles  as  unclean  and  outcasts,  and 
had  a  particular  hatred  and  contempt  for  the  Samaritans. 
The  Romans,  again,  were  no  less  proud  of  their  military 
glory  and  political  power ;  and  the  Greeks,  of  their  su 
perior  wisdom  and  refinement.  And  all  were  zealous 
for  the  glory,  and  greatness,  and  superiority,  each,  of 
his  own  country.  It  was  not  acceptable  to  any  of  these 
to  be  taught  to  "  love  their  enemies,"  —  to  return  good 
for  evil,  —  to  be  humble  and  forgiving,  —  patient  under 
persecution,  —  gentle  and  kind  to  all  men ;  and,  lastly, 
to  consider  men  of  every  race  and  every  station  as  on 
a  level  in  respect  to  the  Gospel  promises ;  and  that,  in 
God's  sight,  there  was  to  be  "  neither  Greek  nor  Jew, 
Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor  free."  (Coloss.  iii.  11.) 

Moreover,  party  spirit  ran  very  high  among  the 
Jews,  especially  between  the  sects  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees.  Now,  an  enthusiast  would  have  most 
likely  been  a  zealous  partisan  of  one  of  these  sects ; 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  253 

and  a  scheming  impostor,  if  he  did  not  join  one  of  them, 
would  have  been  likely  to  aim  at  the  favor  of  both,  by 
flattering  each  in  turn,  and  gratifying  each  by  exposing 
the  faults  of  their  opponents.  Jesus,  on  the  contrary,  in 
his  discourses  to  each  party,  sets  before  them  their  own 
errors  (Luke  xi.  42,  &c. ;  xx.  27);  and  he  does  the 
same  in  respect  of  the  Jews  and  Samaritans.  (Luke  x. 
33  ;  John  iv.  22.) 

All  this  is  worthy  of  a  "Teacher  sent  from  God," 
and  is  quite  different  from  what  we  might  expect  of 
mere  human  teachers. 

§  2.  Many  men,  it  is  true,  would  be  ready  to  praise 
and  to  recommend  a  life  of  greater  purity  and  upright 
ness  than  their  neighbors,  or  they  themselves,  are  ac 
customed  to  practise.  Several  of  the  ancient  heathen' 
philosophers  wrote  moral  treatises  containing  some  ex 
cellent  precepts,  and  describing  a  much  higher  degree 
of  virtue  than  was  commonly  found  in  the  lives  of  the 
Heathen  generally,  or  even  in  the  lives  of  those  very 
philosophers  themselves.  And  if  the  New  Testament 
writers  had  been  men  of  the  higher  and  more  educated 
classes,  accustomed  to  converse  with  the  learned,  and  to 
study  philosophical  works,  instead  of  being  mostly  poor 
and  ignorant  Jewish  fishermen  and  artisans,  it  would 
not  have  been  wonderful  that  they  should  have  taught 
a  higher  degree  of  morality  than  what  men  in  general 
practised. 

But  the  Gospel  went  beyond,  not  merely  what  men 
practised,  but  what  they  approved.  It  was  not  merely 
better  than  men's  conduct ;  but,  in  several  points,  con 
trary  to  their  principles.  For  instance,  "  to  love  one's 
enemies," — to  return  "good  for  evil,"  —  to  be  "meek 
22 


254  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

and  lowly  in  spirit,  —  "  not  easily  provoked,"  but  for 
bearing,  submissive,  and  long-suffering,  —  all  this  was 
not  merely  not  practised  by  the  ancient  Heathen  and 
Jews,  but  it  was  not  even  admired;  on  the  contrary,  it 
was  regarded  with  scorn,  as  base  and  mean-spirited. 

§  3.  And  what  is  more,  even  now  we  may  often  find 
professed  Christians,  while  they  hold  in  reverence  the 
very  books  which  teach  such  lessons,  yet  not  only  prac 
tising,  but  approving,  the  very  opposite.  We  may  find 
some  who  value  themselves  on  a  quick  resentment  of 
affronts  (calling  it  "indignation"),  and  in  using  what 
they  call  "  strong  language"  towards  opponents ;  that  is, 
reviling  and  insult.  And  even  fierce  strife  and  bitter 
persecution  will  often  be  admired  as  "  manly  and  spirited 
conduct,"  and  as  a  noble  Christian  zeal.  And  you  will 
find  all  this  even  in  men  who  venerate  the  very  Gospel, 
which  relates  how  Jesus  rebuked  his  Apostles  for  offer 
ing  to  call  down  fire  from  heaven  on  his  enemies,  and 
told  them  that  they  "  knew  not  what  manner  of  spirit 
they  were  of." 

Since,  then,  Christianity  is  opposed,  not  only  to  men's 
natural  inclinations,  but  also,  in  some  points,  to  their 
ideas  of  what  is  dignified  and  praiseworthy,  you  may 
see  how  incredible  it  is  that  scheming  or  ambitious  men 
should  have  contrived  a  religion  which  condemns,  not 
only  men's  conduct,  but  their  principles. 

§  4.  Then,  again,  if  you  look  to  the  style  of  writing 
in  the  historical  books  (the  four  Gospels  and  the  Acts), 
you  will  observe  that  neither  the  miracles  nor  the  suffer 
ings  of  Christ  or  his  Apostles  are  boastfully  set  forth, 
and  eloquently  described  and  remarked  upon ;  as  would 
have  been  natural  for  writers  desirous  of  making  a 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  255 

strong  impression  on  the  reader.  There  is  no  endeavor 
to  excite  wonder,  or  admiration,  or  compassion,  or  in 
dignation.  There  is  nothing,  in  short,  such  as  we  should 
have  expected  in  writers  who  were  making  up  a  mar 
vellous  story  to  produce  an  effect  on  men's  feelings  and 
imaginations.  The  miracles  performed,  and  the  instan 
ces  of  heroic  fortitude  displayed,  are  all  related,  briefly, 
calmly,  and  dryly,  and  almost  with  an  air  of  indifference, 
as  if  they  were  matters  of  every-day  occurrence,  and 
which  the  readers  were  familiar  with.  And  this  is,  in 
deed,  one  strong  proof  that  the  readers  to  whom  these 
books  were  addressed  —  the  early  Christians  —  really 
were  (as  the  books  themselves  give  us  to  understand 
they  were)  familiar  with  these  things ;  in  short,  that 
the  persecutions  endured,  and  the  signs  displayed,  by 
the  Apostles,  really  were,  in  those  times  and  countries, 
common  and  notorious. 

You  should  observe,  also,  the  candid  and  frank  sim 
plicity  with  which  the  New  Testament  writers  describe 
the  weakness  and  faults  of  the  disciples ;  not  excepting 
some  of  the  most'  eminent  among  the  Apostles.  Their 
"  slowness  of  heart "  [that  is,  dulriess  of  understanding], 
their  want  of  faith  [trust]  in  their  Master,  and  their 
worldly  ambition  and  jealousy  among  themselves,  are 
spoken  of  without  reserve,  and  as  freely  as  the  faults  of 
their  adversaries. 

§  5.  This,  and  some  of  the  other  points  in  the  New 
Testament  that  have  been  noticed,  would  be  very  re 
markable  if  met  with  in  any  one  book ;  but  it  is  still 
more  so,  when  you  consider  that  the  same  character 
runs  through  all  the  books  of  the  New  Testament; 
which  are  no  less  than  twenty-seven  distinct  composi- 


256  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

tions,  of  several  different  kinds,  written  apparently  at 
considerable  intervals  of  time  from  each  other,  and 
which  have  come  down  to  us  as  the  works  of  no  less 
than  eight  different  authors.  You  might  safely  ask  an 
unbeliever  to  point  out  the  same  number  —  or  half  the 
number  —  of  writers  in  behalf  of  any  Sect,  Party,  or 
System,  all  of  them,  without  a  single  exception,  writing 
with  the  same  modest  simplicity,  and  without  any  at 
tempt  to  excuse,  or  to  extol  and  set  off  themselves. 

In  this  respect,  and  in  many  others,  both  the  Chris 
tian  religion  itself,  and  the  Christian  Scriptures,  are  to 
tally  unlike  what  they  might  have  been  expected  to  be, 
if  they  had  been  from  Man.  TJiey  appear  too  simple, 
candid,  and  artless,  to  have  come  from  impostors  ;  and 
too  calm,  sober,  and  wise  for  enthusiasts.  And  yet,  if 
Christianity  were  the  device  of  men,  these  men  must 
have  been  either  the  most  deliberate,  artful,  and  wicked 
of  impostors,  or  else  by  far  the  wildest  and  maddest  set 
of  enthusiasts  that  were  ever  combined  together  ;  since 
they  did  not  (as  many  crazy  enthusiasts  have  done)  ap 
peal  merely  to  their  own  inward  feelings  and  their 
dreams  or  visions,  but  to  matters  of  fact  coming  under 
the  evidence  of  the  senses ;  in  which  none  but  a  com 
plete  madman  could  be  mistaken,  and  most  of  which 
their  adversaries  were  free  to  judge  of  as  well  as  them 
selves. 


LESSON  XII. 

INTERNAL  EVIDENCES.  TART  III. 

§  1.  THESE  few  heads,  then,  of  internal  evidence, 
which  have  been  here  briefly  sketched  out,  would 
even  alone  furnish  good  reason  for  believing  that  the 
Gospel  did  not,  and  could  not,  have  come  from  Man ; 
and  that,  therefore,  it  must  have  come  from  God.  And 
yet  these  internal  marks  of  truth,  which  have  been  here 
pointed  out  by  way  of  specimens,  are  but  a  very  small 
part  of  what  you  may  hereafter  make  out  for  yourself ; 
and  are  not  even  selected  as  being  the  principal  and  the 
most  conclusive,  but  only  as  those  which  could  the  most 
easily  be  put  before  you  in  a  small  compass.  At  some 
future  time,  when  your  power  of  judging  is  improved, 
you  will  feel  the  very  character  of  our  Saviour,  as  de 
scribed  in  the  Gospels,  to  be  (as  I  have  hinted  to  you) 
one  of  the  strongest  proofs,  and  the  most  satisfactory 
and  delightful  proof,  of  the  truth  of  his  religion. 

But  the  moral  excellence  of  his  character,  as  drawn 
by  the  Evangelists,  is  what  could  not  be  set  forth,  so  as 
to  do  justice  to  the  argument  founded  on  it,  within  a 
small  space.  For  it  would  be  necessary  to  dwell  at 
some  length  on  each  of  his  sayings  and  acts,  so  as  to 
point  out  the  kindness  and  tenderness  of  heart,  —  the 
persevering  benevolence,  —  the  gentleness  combined  j 
22* 


258  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

5  with  dignity  and  firmness,  —  the  active  and  unwearied, 
yet  calm  zeal,  with  which  He  labored  for  the  good  of 
mankind,  —  and  the  other  great  and  amiable  qualities 
which  He  displayed  on  so  many  occasions.  And  to  do 
this  properly,  would  require  a  volume  nearly  as  large  as 
the  whole  of  this. 

But  you  may,  in  a  great  measure,  supply  to  yourself 
such  a  work,  by  attentively  reading  and  reflecting  on, 
with  a  view  to  the  present  argument,  the  Gospels  them 
selves  ;  and,  especially,  such  passages  as  those  referred 
to  below.* 

§  2.  In  conducting  for  yourself  such  a  study  as  we 
have  been  suggesting,  these  three  points  should  be  at 
tended  to,  and  steadily  kept  before  the  mind. 

First,  —  The  picture  drawn  by  the  Evangelists  is, 
evidently,  an  unstudied  one.  There  is  nothing  in  it  of 
the  nature  ofeulogium  and  panegyric.  They  do  not  seem 
laboring  to  set  forth  and  call  attention  to  the  excellence 
of  their  Master's  character.  They  do  not  break  out  in 
to  any  exclamations  of  admiration  of  it  ;  and,  indeed, 
make  hardly  any  remarks  on  it  at  all ;  but  simply  relate 
what  He  said  and  did. 

Secondly,  —  If  they  had  had  the  inclination,  they  do 
not  seem  to  have  had  the  ability,  to  draw  a  fictitious 
character  of  great  moral  beauty,  devised  by  their  own 
i imagination.  They  write  like  (what  they  were)  plain, 
unpractised  authors,  without  learning,  or  eloquence,  or 
skill  in  composition. 

Now  let  any  one  try  the  experiment  of  setting  some 
person,  of  great  ability  as  a  writer,  to  draw  up  a  ficti- 


•*  See  Note  A,  at  the  end  of  this  Lesson. 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  259 

tious  narrative  concerning  some  imaginary  personage. 
Let  him  enter  into  particular  details  as  fully  as  the 
Evangelists  have  done  ;  and  let  him  do  his  best  to  paint 
a  character  as  consistent,  and  as  morally  beautiful,  as 
that  of  Jesus.  You  would  see  how  imperfectly  he  would 
succeed ;  and  how  far  he  would  fall  short  of  the  picture 
drawn  (and  which  must,  therefore,  be  a  real  picture)  by 
untaught  Jewish  fishermen  and  peasants. 

And  what  we  have  been  saying  is  confirmed  by  cer 
tain  works  commonly  called  the  "  Spurious  Gospels  " ; 
of  which  some  considerable  portions  have  come  down  to 
us.  They  seem  to  have  been  composed  (some  of  them 
as  early  as  the  fourth  century)  partly  from  invention, 
and  partly  from  some  vague  traditions  that  were  afloat. 
But  they  were  never,  as  far  as  we  can  learn,  received 
by  any  Church  as  Scripture.  These  narratives  profess 
to  give  several  particulars  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  —  es 
pecially  of  his  childhood,  —  which  are  not  to  be  found 
in  the  genuine  Gospels. 

Now  it  is  remarkable,  that,  though  the  writers  evi 
dently  designed  to  raise  admiration  of  our  Lord,  and 
manifest  that  design  very  strongly,  yet  the  picture  they 
draw  of  Him  is,  in  many  points,  contemptible  or  odious  ; 
for  instance,  they  represent  Him  as  exercising,  when  a 
child,  miraculous  powers,  not  for  any  purpose  connected 
with  his  ministry,  but  merely  for  his  own  amusement ; 
as  any  ordinary  child  would  be  likely  to  do,  if  gifted 
with  such  powers. 

And  He  is  also  represented  as  so  passionate  and  mis 
chievous  a  child,  that  he  miraculously  struck  dead 
another  boy  for  accidentally  running  against  him. 

In  short,  his  character  as  given  in  these  "  spurious 


2GO  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

Gospels "  is  quite  a  contrast  to  that  given  by  each  of 
our  four  Evangelists.  And  the  whole  tone  of  the  nar 
ratives  themselves  — :  the  spurious  and  the  genuine  —  is 
no  less  contrasted. 

-  §  3.  Thirdly,  —  You  are  to  keep  in  mind  that  the 
private  moral  character  of  Jesus  is  unimpeached  even 
by  the  opponents  of  his  Gospel.  None  of  them  have 
ever  imputed  to  Him  avarice,  or  cruelty,  or  any  kind  of 
profligate  sensuality.  Now  there  is  hardly  any  other 
very  eminent  man  of  whom  this  can  be  said,  however 
groundless  may  be  the  charges  brought  against  any  of 
them.  Certainly,  no  man  was  ever  so  unimpeached  in 
character  who  had  so  many  and  such  bitter  enemies ;  — 
enemies  who  would  have  been  glad  to  get  hold  of  any 
story,  however  false,  or  even  any  suspicion,  that  could 
i  raise  a  prejudice  against  Him. 

But  even  the  Jews,  in  that  book  already  mentioned 
(Lesson  V.  §  2),  though  they  lavish  on  Him  all  the 
most  abusive  epithets,  yet  do  not  charge  Him  with  any 
one  immoral  act,  in  his  private  life. 

And  you  should  keep  in  mind,  among  other  things, 
that  this  man,  whose  extraordinary  purity  of  moral 
character  is  thus  strongly  attested,  did  certainly  profess 
to  be  a  heaven-sent  messenger,  and  to  possess  miracu 
lous  powers.  Now  any  one  who  can  believe  that  one 
whom  he  considers  a  good  man  would  falsely  put  forth 
such  pretensions,  deceiving  his  disciples,  or  suffering 
them  to  deceive  themselves,  as  to  his  miraculous  powers, 
and  thus  practising  what  is  called  a  "  pious  fraud  "  (in 
reality,  an  impious  fraud)  for  the  sake  of  spreading  his 
doctrines,  —  any  one  who  can  believe  this  of  one  whom 
he  accounts  a  virtuous  man,  must  be  himself  a  person 
of  exceedingly  low  moral  notions. 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  261 

But  all  that  relates  to  our  Lord's  moral  character  is 
a  thing  rather  to  be  felt  than  described :  and  you  will 
feel  it  the  more,  and  the  better  estimate  the  force  of 
the  arguments  drawn  from  it,  in  proportion  to  your 
sincere  desire  and  endeavor  to  conform  your  own  char 
acter  to  the  purest  and  best  pattern  you  can  find. 

The  more,  indeed,  you  learn  of  mankind,  and  of  the 
Gospel,  and  the  more  you  study  (with  a  sincere  desire 
to  know  what  is  true,  and  to  do  what  is  right)  both 
other  books,  ancient  and  modern,  and  also  the  Christian 
Scriptures,  the  more  you  will  perceive  (as  has  been 
above  said)  how  unlikely  the  Christian  religion  is  to 
have  been  devised  by  man,  and  how  well  suited  it  is 
to  meet  the  wants  of  man,  and  to  improve  his  nature. 

§  4.  But  when  you  do  come  to  perceive  the  force  of 
the  internal  evidence  for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  you 
will  find  that,  though  it  may  be  one  of  the  reasons  to 
have,  it  will  often  not  be  the  best  to  give.  A  great  part 
of  this  kind  of  evidence  is  better  fitted  to  furnish  a  con 
soling  satisfaction  to  the  mind  of  a  believer,  than  to 
convince  an  unbeliever.  For  there  is  much  of  the  ex 
cellence  of  the  Christian  religion  that  can  only  be 
learned  fully  from  experience.  Sincere  believers  per 
ceive  in  it  a  wisdom  and  purity  and  nobleness  of  charac 
ter,  which  are  not  completely  understood,  nor  thorough 
ly  liked  and  relished  by  any  one,  till  he  has  become,  in  a 
great  degree,  what  the  Christian  religion  is  designed  to 
make  him,  —  till  he  has  something  of  such  a  character 
as  the  Gospel  does  not  find  in  man,  but  forms  in  him. 

And  this  seems  to  be  that  Christian  experience  which 
the  Apostles,  especially  St.  John  and  St.  Paul,  often 
appeal  to  as  an  evidence  (not  indeed  to  unbelievers,  i 


262  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

t  who  could  not  have  had  this  experience,  but)  in  ad 
dressing  their  converts.  "  The  Spirit  itself "  (says  St. 
Paul,  Rom.  viii.  1C)  "  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit, 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God,"  &c. 

It  seems,  indeed,  to  have  been  designed  that  man's 
conscience  should  bear  witness,  not  only  against  what  is 
wrong,  but  also  in  favor  of  what  is  right.  And  hence 
a  Christian  who  has  for  some  time  been  laboring  to  con 
form  himself  to  the  Gospel,  and  who  finds  his  religious 
notions  becoming  clearer,  and  that  he  is  growing  better, 
and  holier,  and  happier,  gains  by  this  an  unexperi- 
mental  proof,  which  confirms  the  other  proofs,  of  the 
truth  of  his  religion.  His  conscience  testifies  that  he 
is  practically  influenced  and  "  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ";  and  thus  he  is  "filled"  (as  St.  Paul  says, 
Rom.  xv.  13)  "  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing." 

And  this  is  a  kind  of  evidence  which  will  become,  to 
such  a  Christian,  stronger  and  stronger,  the  more  he 
"  grows  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour."  But  this  proof,  from  personal  experience,  is 
fitted  (as  has  been  said),  not  so  much  for  the  first  con 
version  of  an  unbeliever,  as  for  the  confirmation  of  a 
practical  Christian ;  because  no  one  else  can  feel,  or 

L  fully  understand  and  value  it. 

,-  §  5.  A  life  of  genuine  Christian  virtue  does,  indeed, 
meet  with  some  degree  of  approbation  from  most  men, 
even  though  unbelievers ;  and  it  appears,  accordingly, 
to  have  been,  in  the  earliest  times,  a  help  towards  the 
conversion  of  some  of  them.  (1  Peter  ii.  12.)  And  it 
is  for  you  to  bring  before  the  minds  of  those  you  live 
with,  this  kind  of  testimony  to  Christianity  from  its 

'  moral  excellence ;  not  so  much  by  talking  of  it,  as  by 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  263 

setting  it  forth  in  your  life,  and  "  letting  your  light  so 
shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works, 
and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  (Matt.  v. 
16.)  But  you  must  not  expect  that  any  one  will  com 
pletely  feel  all  the  force  of  this  kind  of  internal  evidence 
of  Christianity,  till  he  shall  have  become  himself  a  be 
liever,  and  a  sincerely  practical  believer.  It  is  not 
easy  to  give  a  clear  description  of  the  inside  of  a  well- 
built  and  commodious  house,  to  one  who  is  on  the  out 
side,  and  has  never  been  in  such  a  house,  but  always 
lived  in  a  tent,  like  the  wild  Arabs,  or  in  a  smoky, 
slovenly  hovel.  But  you  may  be  able  to  point  out  to 
him  enough  of  what  is  on  the  outside  to  induce  him 
to  come  in ;  and  when  he  has  done  this,  he  will  gradu 
ally  be  able  to  judge  for  himself;  and  by  the  habits 
of  neatness,  order,  cleanliness,  and  decency  which  he 
will  be  likely  to  acquire  by  living  in  such  a  house,  will 
gain  more  and  more  the  power  of  perceiving  the  com- 
modiousness  of  it.  And  so  it  is  with  the  evidences  of 
Christianity.  As  soon  as  a  man  has  seen  enough,  as  he 
easily  may  do,  of  good  evidence,  to  convince  him  that  it 
is  from  God,  if  he  will  then  be  induced  to  come  in,  and 
heartily  embrace  it,  and  endeavor  to  understand  it, 
and  to  apply  it  to  himself,  so  as  to  be  the  better  for  it 
in  his  life,  he  will  then  be  rewarded  by  a  fuller  and 
clearer  view  of  many  other  evidences  which  he  could 
not  at  first  take  in.  And  such  a  person  will  thus  ob 
tain  the  fulfilment  of  that  promise  of  our  Master :  "  If 
any  man  is  willing  to  do  [will  do]  the  will  of  God,  he 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God."> 
(John  vii.  17.) 

§  6.  Great  care  should  be  taken  not  to  misunderstand 


264  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

what  has  just  been  said ;  because  you  may  hear  from 
some  persons  what  appears,  at  the  first  glance,  very  like 
.it,  though  in  reality  quite  different.  I  mean,  that  you 
may  meet  with  persons  who  profess  to  despise  and  dis 
like  all  that  is  commonly  called  "evidences  for  the 
truth  of  Christianity  " ;  and  who  say,  "  Let  a  man  but 
feel  the  want  of  it,  —  let  him  feel  how  suitable  Chris 
tianity  is  to  the  needs  of  such  a  being  as  man,  —  how 
it  supplies  such  motives,  and  such  guidance,  and  hopes, 
and  consolations,  as  human. nature  requires ;  and  then 
he  will  want  no  evidence  to  convince  him  of  its  truth  " ; 
—  with  a  great  deal  more  to  the  same  purpose. 

Now,  all  this  may  seem  at  the  first  glance  very 
plausible;  but,  on  reflection,  you  will  perceive  that  it 
is  setting  up  Man  —  each  man  for  himself — to  be  the 
standard  of  Divine  truth.  On  this  principle,  each  one 
is  to  receive  as  a  revelation  whatever  religion  suits  his 
own  judgment  of  what  is  good,  and  his  own  wants,  and 
wishes,  and  tastes.  Now,  we  know  how  widely  men 
differ  from  one  another  on  these  points,  and  what  vari 
ous  and  erroneous  systems  they  are,  accordingly,  dis 
posed  to  embrace.  For  instance,  the  Jews,  at  the  time 
when  Jesus  appeared,  felt  a  want  of  a  victorious  and 
mighty  earthly  deliverer,  who  should  exalt  their  nation, 
and  reign  in  great  worldly  splendor.  The  kingdom  of 
Jesus,  which  was  a  "  kingdom  not  of  this  world,"  and 
which  admitted  "  Gentiles  to  be  fellow-heirs,"  was  pre 
cisely  what  they  did  not  want.  It  did  not  at  all  suit 
their  hopes,  and  wishes,  and  habits  of  thought.  And, 
accordingly  the  greater  part  of  them  rejected  Jesus,  and 
followed  those  false  Christs  who  promised  to  lead 
i  them  to  victory  over  the  Romans.  Jesus,  indeed,  ap- 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  265 

pealed  to  the  evidence  of  his  mighty  works,  while  those 
false  Christs  produced  no  evidence  at  all,  except  the 
suitableness  of  what  they  taught  to  the  judgment,  and  to 
the  feelings  and  wants  of  the  Jews.  But  most  of  the 
Jews,  acting  on  the  very  principle  I  have  been  speaking 
of,  disregarded  evidence  altogether,  and  gave  themselves 
up  to  their  own  feelings,  resolving  to  believe  what  suited 
them  best. 

In  like  manner,  when  Mohammed  proclaimed  him 
self  a  prophet,  though  he  produced  no  miraculous  evi 
dence,  he  was  joined  by  a  multitude  of  followers.  His 
religion  suited  a  sensual,  and  gross-minded,  and  warlike, 
and  ambitious  people.  He  promised  them  victory  and 
plunder  in  this  world,  and  after  death  a  paradise  of 
sensual  enjoyments.  And  finding  that  such  a  religion 
suited  their  tastes  and  wants,  they  embraced  it  without 
seeking  for  any  further  evidence  of  its  truth.  The 
Hindoos,  again,  and  other  Pagans,  adhere  to  their  own 
religion  without  any  evidence,  and  find  it  suitable  to 
their  own  wants  and  tastes. 

And  the  same  must  be  the  case  with  all  the  most  ex 
travagant  corruptions  of  Christianity  that  have  arisen 
from  time  to  time ;  such  as  that  of  the  ancient  Gnostics, 
who  thought  to  obtain  immortal  life  without  practising 
moral  virtue,  and  who  had  a  taste  for  idle  speculations 
concerning  the  nature  of  God.  No  one  of  these  corrupt 
religions  could  ever  have  arisen  at  all,  or 'have  been  re 
ceived,  if  those  who  introduced  it,  and  their  followers, 
had  not  felt  a  "  want "  of  some  such  system. 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  principle  I  have  been 
speaking  of  tends  to  lead  men  into  an  endless  variety  of 
errors. 

23 


266  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

• 

§  7.  But  the  course  I  have  been  recommending  is, 
in  reality,  exactly  the  reverse  of  all  this.  Jesus  tells  us, 
that  if  any  man  is  willing  and  desirous  to  do  the  will  of 
his  Heavenly  Father,  he  shall  know  the  truth  of  the 
doctrine.  You  must  begin,  therefore,  by  a  readiness  to 
follow  —  not  your  own  will,  but  —  the  will  of  God  ;  and 
to  receive  whatever  shall  appear  to  come  from  Him, 
however  contrary  to  your  expectations  or  wishes.  And 
if  in  this  temper  of  mind  you  proceed  to  examine  those 
evidences  which  Jesus  and  his  Apostles  appeal  to,  you 
will  see  good  reason  for  believing  in  the  Gospel.  And 
then,  if  you  embrace  the  Gospel,  and  labor  to  conform 
your  heart  and  your  life  to  it,  you  will  perceive  that  it 
does  suit  the  nature  and  the  real  wants  of  man.  For 
you  will  perceive  that  it  tends  to  enlighten  his  judgment, 
and  to  improve  his  moral  taste,  and  to  lead  him  to  live 
according  to  the  best  principles  of  his  nature,  and  to 
secure  him  the  truest  peace  and  comfort.  And  in  pro 
portion  as  you  come  to  perceive  all  this,  you  will  thus 
obtain  a  strong  additional  confirmation  of  the  truth  of 
Christianity. 

But  you  will  have  obtained  this,  not  by  rejecting  evi 
dence,  and  resolving  to  conform  your  religious  belief  to 
your  own  tastes  and  inclinations,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
by  striving  to  conform  your  own  tastes  and  inclinations 
to  your  religious  belief. 

§  8.  Observe,  then,  that  this  last  is  a  kind  of  evi 
dence  which  all  Christians  ought  to  have,  and  will  have, 
more  and  more,  in  proportion  as  they  fairly  try  the  ex 
periment  of  conforming  themselves  to  the  Gospel.  Dif 
ferent  persons  may  have  been  led  by  different  kinds  of 
proof  to  embrace  the  Gospel ;  but  when  they  have  em- 


INTERNAL     EVIDENCES.  267 

braced  it,  they  may  all  hope  for  this  confirmation  of 
their  faith,  by  this  further  proof  from  experience.  Sup 
pose,  for  instance,  some  one  should  offer  to  several  per 
sons,  suffering  under  a  painful  and  dangerous  disease, 
some  medicine,  which  he  declared  would  relieve  their 
sufferings,  and  restore  them  to  health ;  it  would  be  nat 
ural  and  reasonable  for  them  to  ask  for  some  testimony, 
or  other  proof,  to  assure  them  of  this,  before  they  made 
trial  of  the  medicine :  then  suppose  them  all  to  be  so 
far  convinced,  —  some  by  one  proof,  and  some  by  an 
other,  —  as  to  make  trial  of  the  medicine ;  and  that 
they  found  themselves  daily  getting  better  as  they  took 
it ;  they  would  then  have  —  all  of  them  —  an  evidence 
from  experience,  confirming  the  former  proofs  that  had 
originally  brought  them  to  make  the  trial. 

But  these  persons,  if  they  were  wise,  would  be  con 
vinced  of  the  virtues  of  the  medicine,  not  from  its  being 
immediately  pleasant  to  the  taste,  or  from  its  suddenly 
exciting  and  cheering  them  up  like  a  strong  cordial ; 
but  from  its  gradually  restoring  their  strength,  and  re 
moving  the  symptoms  of  the  disease,  and  advancing 
them  daily  towards  perfect  health.  So  also  Christian 
experience,  you  should  remember,  does  not  consist  in 
violent  transports,  or  any  kind  of  sudden  and  overpow 
ering  impression  on  the  feelings ;  but  in  a  steady,  ha 
bitual,  and  continued  improvement  of  the  heart  and  the 
conduct. 

§  9.  "We  do  not  say,  you  will  observe,  that  you,  or 
other  Christians,  may  not  experience  such  sudden  trans 
porting  impressions  as  those  just  alluded  to.  But  it  is 
a  settled  habit,  an  improved  and  improving  character, 
that  constitutes  the  Christian  experience  which  we  find 


2G8  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

described  and  alluded  to  in  the  New  Testament  Scrip 
tures  ;  which  thus  affords  an  additional  internal  evi 
dence  of  their  having  been  written  by  sober-minded 
men.*  For  the  Apostles,  if  they  had  been  wild  en 
thusiasts,  would  have  felt,  and  have  taught  their  converts 
to  expect,  the  sudden  excitement  of  vehement  emotions ; 
and  would  have  referred  to  some  immediate,  single,  and 
momentary  impression  of  that  kind,  as  Christian  ex 
perience.  But  what  they  do  teach,  and  perpetually  im 
press  on  us,  is,  "  He  that  is  Christ's  hath  crucified  the 
flesh,  with  the  affections  and  lusts  " ;  —  the  test  they  refer 
to  is  a  "  growth  in  grace  and  knowledge,"  —  a  calm, 
gradual,  and  steady  advancement  in  "  bringing  forth 
fruit  with  Patience"  (Luke  viii.  15.)  For  "  PA 
TIENCE  "  (says  St.  Paul,  Rom.  v.  4)  "  worketh  EXPERI 
ENCE  ;  and  Experience,  Hope  ;  and  Hope  maketh  not 
ashamed ;  because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in 
our  hearts,  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto 
us." 


NOTE  A. 


WITH  regard  to  the  passages  here  referred  to,  (and  to  which  many 
more  might  have  been  added,)  you  should  observe  that  the  picture 
they  form  of  our  Lord's  character  cannot  but  be  a  correct  one ;  be 
cause,  if  He  had  really  been  at  all  a  different  kind  of  man  from 
what  He  is  represented,  his  enemies  would  not  have  failed  to  notice 
and  to  take  advantage  of  this.  Now,  not  only  do  they  never  charge 
Him  with  anything  immoral,  but  He  and  his  Apostles  continually 
\  appeal  to  all  men's  testimony  as  to  the  moral  excellence  of  his  char 
acter,  as  a  matter  undeniable  and  notorious. 


*  See  2  Pet.  i.  5 ;  and  1  Thess.  iv.  1 ;  and  Galat.  vi.  9,  &c. 


INTERNAL    EVIDENCES.  269 

See  John  vii.  46  -  61,  viii.  46,  and  x.  32 ;  Matt.  xxvi.  69,  xxvii.  23,  j 
24;  Luke  xxiii.  13-15;  Acts  iii.  13,  14;  1  Peter  ii.  21-23. 

And  it  should  be  observed  that  this  moral  teaching  is  to  be  regard 
ed  as  an  appeal  of  this  kind ;  since,  if  He  had  been  guilty  of  any  such 
moral  wrong  as  He  censured  and  rebuked,  or  had  not  been  himself 
a-model  of  the  virtues  He  taught,  his  enemies  would  have  been  sure 
to  detect,  and  to  reproach,  his  inconsistency. 

His  extensive  BENEVOLENCE  and  Compassionateness  are  shown  in 
the  following  (and  many  other)  passages:  John  iv. ;  Luke  ix.  55, 
and  x.  30-37;  Mark  vii.  26,  &c.,  and  x.  13-21  and  45-52;  Matt. 
ix.  36,  £c.;  Luke  xiii.  16,  xiv.  12,  &c.;  xxii.  50,  51,  xxiv.  34;  Matt, 
xviii.  11,  &c. 

In  reference  to  his  kind  and  affectionate  character,  see  John  xi.,  xix. 
25-27,  &c.;  Luke  xix.  41,  xxii.  61;  Matt.  xiv.  27-31. 

For  indications  of  MEEKNESS  and  Humility,  see  Matt.  ix.  28,  xviii., 
xxvi.  50;  John  xiii.  4,  &c.;  Matt.  v.  1  - 12;  Luke  xxii.  24,  &c. 

For  indications  of  MORAL  COURAGE,  firmness,  and  resignation, 
Luke  iv.  23,  £c.,  xiii.  31,  &c.,  xviii.  29,  £c.;  John  xi.  7,  &c.;  Mark 
x.  32,  &c.;  Matt.  xxvi.  39-46;  John  xviii.  4,  &c. 

For  indications  of  SINCERITY,  and  rebukes  of  the  hypocrite  and 
the  seeker  after  popularity,  Matt.  vi.  1  - 18,  x.  16  -  39,  xxii.  18,  &c. ; 
Mark  xii.  38-40;  Luke  xi.  44,  &c.;  John  xvi.  1-6. 

For  indications  of  MODERATION,  and  absence  of  all  enthusiasm 
and  all  affected  austerity,  Matt.  xi.  19,  xxiii.  23 ;  Luke  v.  29  -  35 ; 
John  ii.  1,  &c. ;  Mark  xii.  17. 

The  passages  above  referred  to  contain  a  few  out  of  many  of  the 
indications  of  a  part  —  and  only  a  part  —  of  the  virtues  of  our 
Lord's  character.  Many  others  will  strike  you  in  your  perusal  of 
the  Gospels  with  this  view. 

But  this  study  will  affect  different  persons  very  unequally,  accord 
ing  to  their  oim  character.  Those  of  a  low  tone  of  moral  sentiment 
will  be  but  little  struck  with  the  character  of  Jesus.  Those  of  a 
somewhat  higher  and  purer  mind  will  feel  it  more;  especially  if 
they  have  also  a  considerable  knowledge  of  mankind  in  general. 
And  one  who  is,  like  Nathanael,  "  an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom 
is  no  guile,"  will  (mentally)  exclaim,  like  him,  "  Eabbi,  thou  art  the 
Son  of  God !  thou  art  the  King  of  Israel ! " 


23* 


LESSON    XIII. 

OBJECTIONS. PART    I. 

§  1.  As  there  are  persons  who  reject  the  Christian 
religion,  you  may  perhaps  suppose  that  they  have  un 
dertaken  to  refute  the  proofs  of  it ;  and  that  they  have 
found  answers,  such  as  satisfy  themselves,  to  the  evi 
dences  and  reasons  on  which  it  is  believed ;  or  at  least 
to  some  of  the  principal  of  the  reasons,  such  as  have 
been  just  put  before  you. 

But  you  are  not  likely  to  meet  with  any  one  who  will 
undertake  this.  At  least,  no  such  attempt  has  been  made 
in  any  book  that  has  been  hitherto  published.  Unbe 
lievers,  though  they  have  had  nearly  eighteen  centuries 
to  try,  have  never  yet  been  able  to  show,  nor  have  they 
even  attempted  to  show,  how  it  could  be  that  so  many 
marks  of  truth  should  be  found  in  the  Gospel  history, 
supposing  it  false.  Of  these  marks  of  truth,  even  that 
portion  (though  far  short  of  the  whole)  which  have  been 
just  laid  before  you  are  such  as  certainly  never  met  to 
gether,  at  least  in  any  known  false  story  ;  and  how  it  is 
that  they  are  found  in  the  Gospel  history,  if  that  be  not 
true,  has  never  been  explained.  No  one  has  ever  ex 
plained  in  what  way  the  first  disciples  of  Jesus,  circum 
stanced  as  they  were,  succeeded,  or  could  have  succeed- 


OBJECTIONS.  271 

eel,  in  propagating,  as  we  know  they  did,  such  a  religion 
as  theirs,  supposing  it  to  be,  not  from  God,  but  from 
Man. 

§  2.  And  yet  many  persons  have  written  and  spoken  j 
against  Christianity  How,  then,  have  they  proceeded  ? 
Instead  of  accounting  for  the  introduction  of  Christian 
ity  by  natural  causes,  and  on  the  supposition  of  its  being 
a  mere  human  device,  they  are  accustomed  to  put  for 
ward  various  difficulties,  and  start  objections  against  sev 
eral  points  in  the  religion.  And  unlearned  Christians 
often  find  themselves  hard  pressed  with  these  objections ; 
and  suppose  that  they  are  called  upon  either  to  find  an 
swers  to  everything  that  can  be  urged  against  the  Chris 
tian  religion,  and  give  a  satisfactory  solution  of  every  t 
difficulty  that  is  pointed  out,  or  else  to  abandon  their 
faith,  or  at  least  confess  that  they  cannot  defend  it. 

Now  you  have,  indeed,  been  taught  that  it  is  a  Chris 
tian's  duty  to  be  "  ready  to  give  an  answer  to  every  one 
that  asks  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you."  But 
this  is  a  very  different  thing  from  being  prepared  to  an 
swer  every  objection.  If  a  person  asks  you  why  you 
are  a  Christian,  or  on  what  grounds  you  may  call  on  a 
Pagan  to  embrace  Christianity,  this  is  quite  a  different 
thing  from  his  asking  you,  "  How  can  you  explain  this  ?" 
"  and  how  do  you  reconcile  that  ?  "  "  and  how  do  you  re 
move  such  and  such  difficulties  ?  " 

§  3.  I  am  not  saying,  you  will  observe,  that  no  such 
questions  as  these  ought  ever  to  be  asked ;  or  that  there 
is  no  occasion  to  seek  any  answers  to  them  ;  but  only  that 
they  are  not  at  all  the  same  thing  as  the  other  question,  — 
the  inquiry  for  a  reason  of  our  Christian  hope.  And  it ' 
should  also  be  observed,  that  it  is  not  the  most  natural  \ 


272  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

and  reasonable  way  of  examining  any  question  to  begin 
with  looking  to  the  objections  against  any  system,  or 
plan,  or  history,  before  we  inquire  into  the  reasons  in  its 
favor.  And  yet  it  is  thus  that  some  people  are  apt  to 
proceed  in  the  case  of  the  Christian  religion.  Having 
been  brought  up  in  it  from  childhood,  and  received  it 
merely  as  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  they  perhaps 
meet  with  some  one  who  starts  objections  against  sever 
al  points ;  and  then  they  think  themselves  obliged  to 
find  an  answer  to  each  objection,  and  to  explain  every 
difficulty  in  the  Gospel  system,  without  having  begun  by 
learning  anything  of  the  positive  evidence  on  which  it  is 
founded.  And  the  end  of  this  sometimes  is,  that  their 
4  minds  are  disturbed,  and  perhaps  their  faith  overthrown, 
before  they  have  even  begun  to  inquire  into  the  subject 
Lin  the  right  way. 

Some  persons  will  advise  you,  for  fear  of  having  your 
mind  thus  unsettled,  to  resolve  at  once  never  to  listen 
to  any  objections  against  Christianity,  or  to  make  any 
inquiries,  or  converse  at  all  on  the  subject  with  any 
one  who  speaks  of  any  doubts  or  difficulties  ;  but  to 
make  up  your  mind,  once  for  all,  to  hold  fast  the  faith 
you  have  been  brought  up  in,  on  the  authority  of  wiser 
men  than  yourself,  and  never  to  attend  to  any  reasoning 
on  the  subject. 

§  4.  You  have  already  seen,  that  if  our  forefathers 
had  gone  upon  this  plan,  we  should  at  this  day  have 
been  Pagans  like  them ;  and  that  if  all  the  world  had 
proceeded  thus  when  the  Apostles  first  appeared,  all 
men  would  have  kept  to  the  religion  of  their  fathers, 
(as  the  chief  part  of  the  most  learned  and  most  power 
ful  among  them  did,  see  1  Cor.  i.  23,)  and  Christianity 


OBJECTIONS.  273 

would  not  have  existed  at  all.  And  you  ought  to  ob 
serve,  also,  that  when  a  learned  man  says  that  ordinary 
Christians  had  better  shut  their  ears  against  all  doubts 
and  arguments,  and  be  satisfied  to  take  the  word  of  the 
learned  for  the  truth  of  the  religion,  a  suspicion  is  often 
raised,  that  he  does  not  really  believe  it  himself,  but 
wishes  to  support  it  for  the  sake  of  the  lower  classes ; 
and  considers  that  the  less  they  think,  and  reason,  and 
inquire,  the  less  danger  there  is  of  their  being  undeceived. 
Such  appears  to  have  been,  generally,  the  state  of 
mind  of  the  educated  classes  among  the  ancient  Hea 
then  in  respect  to  their  religion.  They  thought  it  useful 
for  th«  vulgar  to  believe  in  the  fables  about  their  gods ; 
and  being  aware  that  these  would  not  stand  the  test  of- 
examination,  they  did  not  approve  of  any  inquiry  on 
the  subject. 

§  5.  But  it  is  likely  that  many  of  those  who  discour 
age  ordinary  Christians  from  using  their  reason  on  the 
subject  of  Christian  evidences,  are  not  themselves  unbe 
lievers,  but  are  merely  timorous  and  distrustful,  and  see 
the  dangers  on  one  side,  while  they  overlook  those  on 
the  other.  They  see  that  there  is  a  danger  of  men 
making  an  ill  use  of  their  reason,  which  there  certainly 
is,  as  well  as  of  any  other  gift.  The  servant  in  the  par 
able  (Matt.  xxv.  25,  Luke  xix.  20),  who  was  intrust 
ed  with  one  talent,  might  have  employed  it  ill,  and  lost 
it ;  but  it  was  not  therefore  the  safe  course  to  lay  it  by 
in  a  napkin.  There  is  danger  of  the  misuse  of  money, 
or  of  food.  We  know  that  many  shorten  their  lives  by 
intemperance.  Yet  food  was  bestowed  for  the  support 
of  life,  and  not  for  its  destruction.  And  so,  also,  God 
has  provided  evidence  to  prove  the  truth  of  Christianity, 


274  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

and  has  given  us  the  faculty  of  reason,  by  which  we 
can  understand  that  evidence ;  and  what  is  more,  He 
has  expressly  directed  us  (1  Peter  iii.  15)  to  make  that 
use  of  the  faculty.  But  in  the  use  of  all  his  gifts  there 
is  danger;  which  we  cannot  escape  without  diligent 
caution.  And  those  who  would  guard  men  against  the 
danger  of  doubt  and  disbelief  by  discouraging  the  use 
of  reason,  are  creating  a  much  greater  danger  of  the 
same  kind,  by  the  distrust  which  they  manifest,  —  by 
appearing  to  suspect  that  their  religion  will  not  stand 

^inquiry. 

§  G.  But  is  it,  then,  to  be  expected,  that  you  should 
be  prepared  to  answer  every  objection  that  may  be 
brought  against  your  religion?  By  no  means.  You 
may  have  very  good  reason  for  believing  something 
against  which  there  are  many  objections ;  and  objec 
tions  which  you  cannot  answer,  for  want  of  sufficient 
knowledge  of  the  subject.  In  many  other  cases,  besides 
that  of  religion,  there  will  be  difficulties  on  both  sides  of 
the  question,  which  even  the  wisest  man  cannot  clear 
up ;  though  he  may,  perhaps,  plainly  see  on  which  side 
the  greater  difficulties  lie ;  and  may  even  see  good  rea- 

•  sons  for  being  fully  satisfied  wliicli  ought  to  be  believed. 
Thus,  in  the  case  before  mentioned  of  the  bed  of  sea- 
shells  found  far  above  the  present  level  of  the  sea,  there 
are  strong  objections  against  supposing  either  that  the 
sea  was  formerly  so  much  higher  than  now,  or  that 
those  beds  were  so  much  lower,  and  were  heaved  up, 
many  hundred  feet,  to  the  height  where  they  now  lie. 
And  yet  no  one  who  has  examined  and  inquired  into 
the  subject  has  any  doubt  that  those  beds  of  shells  do 
exist,  and  must,  at  some  former  time,  have  been  the 

I  bottom  of  a  sea. 


OBJECTIONS.  275 

To  take  another  instance :  the  astronomer  Coper 
nicus  first  taught,  about  three  hundred  years  ago,  that 
the  earth  (which  had  formerly  been  supposed  to  be  at 
rest  in  the  midst  of  the  universe,  with  all  the  heavenly 
bodies  moving  round  it)  travels  round  the  sun  in  the 
course  of  a  year,  and  is,  at  the  same  time,  turning  also 
on  its  own  axis  —  that  is,  rolling  over  like  a  ball  — 
every  twenty-four  hours.  This  theory  of  his  (which 
has  long  since  been  universally  admitted)  was  at  first 
met  by  many  objections ;  several  of  which,  neither  he, 
nor  any  one  else  in  those  days,  was  able  to  answer. 
Many  years  afterwards,  when  astronomy  was  better 
understood,  some  objections  were  answered,  and  diffi 
culties  explained.  But  there  were  others  of  which  no 
explanation  could  be  found  till  a  very  short  time  ago, 
in  the  memory  of  many  persons  now  living.  Yet,  long 
before  that  time,  notwithstanding  the  objections,  there 
was  no  one  at  all  acquainted  with  the  subject  who  had 
any  doubt  of  the  earth's  motion. 

§  7.  Again,  it  is  perfectly  well  established,  that  aero 
lites  —  that  is,  stones  from  the  sky  —  have  fallen  in 
various  countries,  and  at  different  times,  to  a  consider 
able  number.  They  are  composed  of  iron,  or  a  peculiar  • 
kind  of  iron-stone,  and  are  of  all  sizes,  from  a  few 
ounces  to  several  hundred-weight.  No  explanation  has 
been  given  of  them  that  is  at  all  satisfactory.  There 
are  strong  objections  against  supposing  them  either  to 
have  been  thrown  out  by  volcanoes  in  the  moon,  or  to 
be  fragments  torn  off  from  some  other  planets,  or  to  be 
formed  in  the  air.  In  future  generations,  perhaps, 
when  cheinistry  and  astronomy  are  much  improved, 
more  may  be  known  about  these  wonderful  stones.  1 


276  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

1  But,  in  the  mean  time,  the  fact  of  their  having  fallen  is 
so  well  attested  by  numerous  witnesses,  that,  in  spite  of 
all  the  difficulties,  no  one  who  has  inquired  into  the 
subject  has  any  doubt  the  thi-ng  has  really  occurred, 

J  however  incredible  it  might  have  appeared. 

r  Then,  again,  if  we  look  to  human  transactions,  we 
shall  find  several  portions  of  history,  even  those  which 
no  one  has  any  doubt  of,  full  of  such  strange  events, 
that  difficulties  might  be  pointed  out  in  the  accounts  of 
them,  and  strong  objections  raised  against  the  history, 
even  when  it  rests  on  such  satisfactory  evidence  as 
to  be  believed  in  spite  of  those  objections.  In  the 
history,  for  instance,  of  Europe,  for  the  last  forty  years, 
there  are  many  events  so  improbable  in  themselves,  — 
especially  all  that  relate  to  the  wonderful  rise,  and 
greatness,  and  overthrow,  of  the  empire  of  Napoleon 
Bonaparte,  —  that  it  would  be  easy  to  find  objections 
sufficient  to  convince  many  persons  that  the  history 
could  not  be  true,  were  it  not  that  it  is  so  well  attested 
as  to  be  believed  notwithstanding  all  the  difficulties. 

Numberless   other  examples   might  be  brought,  to 
show  how  many  things  there  are  which  men  believe, 

•  and  believe  on  very  good  grounds,  in  spite  of  strong 
and  real  objections,  which  they  cannot  satisfactorily  an 
swer;  these  being  outweighed  by  more  and  greater 

'^difficulties  on  the  opposite  side. 
_.  §  8.  As  for  the  particular  objections  which  have 
been  brought  against  the  Christian  religion,  and  the 
Christian  Scriptures,  it  would  of  course  be  impossible 
to  put  before  you,  in  a  short  compass,  even  the  chief 
part  of  them,  together  with  the  answers  that,  have  been 
given.  But  what  is  of  the  most  importance  is,  to  lay 


OBJECTIONS.  277 

down,  generally,  the  right  way  of  viewing  objections, 
either  against  our  religion  or  against  anything  else ; 
namely,  first,  that  you  should  not  begin  by  considering 
the  objections  to  any  statement  or  system,  before  you 
are  acquainted  with  the  evidence  in  favor  of  it ;  and, 
secondly,  that  you  should  not  think  yourself  bound  to 
renounce  your  faith,  if  you  cannot  answer  every  objec 
tion,  and  clear  up  every  difficulty  that  may  be  raised ; 
but  should  remember  that  many  things  are  believed, 
and  must  be  believed,  against  which  there  are  strong 
objections  that  have  never  been  completely  answered, 
when  there  are  stronger  objections  against  the  opposite 
belief. 


24 


LESSON    XIV. 

OBJECTIONS. PART    II. 

§  1.  OF  the  objections  that  have  been  brought 
against  Christianity,  there  are  some  which  ordinary 
Christians  may  learn  enough  to  be  able  to  refute  for 
themselves.  There  are  others,  again,  to  which  learned 
and  able  men  have  found  answers,  but  which  the  gener 
ality  of  Christians  cannot  be  expected  to  answer,  or 
even  to  understand ;  and,  again,  there  are  other  ob 
jections  which  no  man,  however  learned,  and  however 
intelligent,  can  expect  to  answer  fully,  on  account  of 
the  imperfect  knowledge  which  belongs  to  man  in  this 
present  life.  For  you  are  to  observe,  that,  when  we 
speak  of  any  one  as  having  much  knowledge  and  in 
telligence,  we  mean  that  he  is  so  comparatively  with 
other  men  ;  since  the  best-informed  man  knows  but  few 
things,  compared  with  those  of  which  he  is  ignorant ; 
and  the  wisest  man  cannot  expect  to  understand  all  the 
works  and  all  the  plans  of  his  Creator.  Now  this  is 
particularly  important  to  be  kept  in  mind  in  the  present 
case ;  because  Christianity,  we  should  remember,  is  a 
scheme  imperfectly  understood.  "What  is  revealed  to 
us  must  be  (supposing  the  religion  to  be  true)  but  a 
part,  and  perhaps  but  a  small  part,  of  the  whole  truth. 
There  are  many  things  of  which,  at  present,  we  can 


OBJECTIONS.  279 

know  little  or  nothing,  which  have,  or  may  have,  a  close 
connection  with  the  Christian  religion.  For  instance, 
we  are  very  little  acquainted  with  more  than  a  very 
small  part  of  the  universe  ;  of  the  whole  history,  past 
and  future,  of  the  world  we  inhabit ;  and  of  the  whole  of 
rnarJs  existence. 

This  earth  is  but  a  speck  compared  with  the  rest  of 
the  planets  which  move  round  the  sun,  together  with  the 
enormous  mass  of  the  sun  itself;  to  say  nothing  of  the 
other  heavenly  bodies.  It  is  likely  that  all  these  are 
inhabited ;  and  it  may  be,  that  the  Gospel  which  has 
been  declared  to  us  may  be  but  one  small  portion  of 
some  vast  scheme  which  concerns  the  inhabitants  of 
numerous  other  worlds. 

Then,  again,  we  have  no  knowledge  how  long  this 
our  world  is  to  continue.  For  aught  we  know,  the 
Christian  religion  may  not  have  existed  a  fifth  part,  or 
a  fiftieth  part,  of  its  whole  time ;  and  it  may,  perhaps, 
have  not  produced  yet  one  fiftieth  of  the  effects  it  is 
destined  to  produce. 

And  we  know  that,  as  it  holds  out  the  hope  of  im 
mortality  beyond  the  grave,  it  is  connected  with  man's 
condition,  not  merely  during  his  short  life  on  earth,  but 
for  eternity. 

§  2.  Seeing,  then,  that  Christianity,  if  true,  must 
be  a  scheme  so  partially  and  imperfectly  revealed  to  us, 
and  so  much  connected  with  things  of  which  man  can 
have  little  or  no  knowledge,  we  might  have  expected 
that  difficulties  should  be  found  in  it  which  the  wisest 
of  men  are  unable  to  explain.  And  men  truly  wise 
are  not  surprised  or  disheartened  at  meeting  with  such 
difficulties,  but  are  prepared  to  expect  them  from  the 
nature  of  the  case. 


280  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

The  view  which  we  have  of  any  portion  of  a  system 
of  which  the  whole  is  not  before  us,  has  been  aptly  com 
pared  to  a  map  of  an  inland  country  ;  in  which  we  see 
rivers  without  source  or  mouth,  and  roads  that  seem  to 
lead  to  nothing.  A  person  who  knows  anything  of  ge 
ography  understands  at  once,  on  looking  at  such  a  map, 
that  the  sources  and  mouths  of  the  rivers,  and  the  towns 
which  the  roads  lead  to,  are  somewhere  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  the  district,  though  he  may  not  know 
where  they  lie.  But  any  one  who  was  very  ill-informed 
might  be  inclined  presumptuously  to  find  fault  with  the 
map,  which  showed  him  only  a  part  of  the  course  of  the 
rivers  and  roads.  And  it  is  the  same  with  anything 
else  of  which  we  see  only  a  part,  unless  we  recollect 
that  it  is  but  a  part,  and  make  allowance  accordingly  for 
our  imperfect  view  of  it. 

There  is  much  truth,  therefore,  in  the  Scotch  proverb, 
that  "  children  and  fools  should  never  see  half-finished 
works."  They  not  only  cannot  guess  what  the  whole 
will  be  when  complete,  but  are  apt  to  presume  to  form 
a  judgment  without  being  aware  of  their  own  ignorance. 
If  you  were  to  see  for  the  first  time  the  beginning  of  the 
manufacture  of  some  of  the  commonest  articles,  such  as, 
for  instance,  the  paper  that  is  before  you,  you  would  be 
at  a  loss,  if  you  had  never  heard  the  process  described, 
to  guess  what  the  workman  was  going  to  make.  You 
would  see  a  great  trough  full  of  a  liquid  like  pap,  and 
would  never  think  of  such  a  thing  as  a  sheet  of  paper 
being  made  from  it.  And  if  you  were  to  see  the  first 
beginning  of  the  building  of  a  house  or  a  ship,  you 
would  be  very  unfit  to  judge  what  sort  of  a  work  it 
would  be  when  completed. 


OBJECTIONS.  281 

And  the  same  holds  good,  only  in  a  greater  degree, 
in  respect  to  the  plans  of  Divine  wisdom.  So  small  a 
portion  of  them  is  made  known  to  us,  that  it  would  be 
strange  if  we  did  not  find  many  difficulties  —  such  as 
Man  cannot  expect  to  explain  —  in  that  portion  which 
we  do  see. 

§  3.  Although,  however,  you  must  not  expect  to  be 
able  to  answer  all  objections  that  may  be  brought,  you 
will  be  able,  in  proportion  as  you  improve  in  knowledge, 
and  in  the  habit  of  reflecting  and  reasoning  on  the  sub 
ject,  to  find  satisfactory  answers  to  many  which  at  first 
sight  may  have  appeared  very  perplexing.  And  in 
particular,  you  will  find  that  some  difficulties  in  the 
Christian  religion  which  have  been  brought  forward  as 
objections  to  it,  will  appear  to  be,  on  the  contrary,  evi 
dences  in  support  of  it.  They  may,  indeed,  still  con 
tinue  to  be  difficulties  which  you  cannot  fully  explain, 
and  yet  may  be  so  far  from  being  objections  against  your 
faith,  that  they  will  even  go  to  confirm  it. 

For  instance,  the  bad  lives  of  many  Christians,  who 
profess  to  expect  that  Jesus  Christ  will  judge  them,  and 
yet  act  in  opposition  to  what  He  taught  and  to  the  ex 
ample  He  gave,  is  an  objection  which  has  often  been 
brought  forward  by  unbelievers,  and  which  probably  in 
fluences  their  minds  more  than  any  other.  Here  is  a 
religion,  they  say,  which  professes  to  have  been  designed 
to  work  a  great  reformation  in  Man's  character,  and  yet 
we  find  the  believers  in  this  religion  living  as  if  there 
were  no  world  but  the  present,  and  giving  themselves 
up  to  all  the  base  and  evil  passions  of  human  nature, 
just  as  the  Heathen  did.  And  besides  those  who  are 
altogether  careless  and  thoughtless  about  their  religion, 
24* 


282  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

we  find  (they  say)  many  who  talk  and  think  much  of  it, 
and  profess  great  Christian  zeal,  and  who  yet  live  in  ha 
tred  against  their  fellow-Christians,  indulging  in  envy, 
slander,  strife,  and  persecution  of  one  another ;  and  all 
the  time  professing  to  be  devoted  followers  of  One  who 
taught  them  to  love  even  their  enemies,  to  return  bless 
ing  for  cursing,  and  to  be  known  as  his  disciples  by  their 
love  towards  each  other.* 

§  4.  Now  it  is  certainly  most  mortifying  and  dis 
heartening  to  a  sincere  Christian,  to  find  that  his  religion 
has  produced  hitherto  so  much  less  improvement  among 
mankind  than  he  might  have  been  disposed  to  expect 
from  it.  And  you  should  consider  deeply  what  a  double 
guilt  Christians  will  have  to  answer  for,  whose  life  is 
such  as  to  bring  an  ill  name  on  their  religion  ;  and  who 
thus  not  only  rebel  against  their  Master,  but  lead  others 
to  reject  Him.  But  when  the  evil  lives  of  so  many 
Christians  are  brought  as  an  objection  against  the  Chris 
tian  religion,  you  may  reply  by  asking  whether  this 
does  not  show  how  unlikely  such  a  religion  is  to  have 
been  devised  by  Man.  If  you  saw  in  any  country  the 
fields  carefully  ploughed  and  cleared,  and  sown  with 
wheat,  and  yet  continually  sending  up  a  growth  of  grass 
and  thistles,  which  choked  the  wheat  wherever  they 
were  not  weeded  out  again  and  again,  you  would  not 
suppose  wheat  to  be  indigenous  (that  is,  to  grow  wild) 
in  that  country ;  but  would  conclude  that,  if  the  land 
had  been  left  to  itself,  it  would  have  produced  grass  and 
thistles,  and  no  wheat  at  all.  So  also,  when  you  see 
men's  natural  character  so  opposite  to  the  pure,  and 

*  John  xiii.  34. 


OBJECTIONS.  283 

generous,  and  benevolent,  and  forgiving  character  of 
the  Gospel,  that,  even  after  they  have  received  the  Gos 
pel,  their  lives  are  apt  to  be  quite  a  contrast  to  Gospel 
virtue,  you  cannot  think  it  likely  that  such  a  being  as 
Man  should  have  been  the  inventor  of  such  a  religion 
as  the  Christian. 

§  5.  It  is,  indeed,  strange  that  we  should  see  men 
seeking  to  make  amends  for  the  want  of  Christian 
virtue  by  outward  religious  observances,  and  by  active 
zeal  —  often,  bitter  and  persecuting  zeal  —  in  the  cause 
of  Christianity,  when  the  very  Founder  of  our  faith 
has  declared  that  He  abhors  such  conduct ;  so  that  such 
Christians,  in  professing  to  be  followers  of  him,  pro 
nounce  their  own  condemnation.  This  is  certainly  very 
strange ;  but  it  shows,  at  least,  how  strong  Man's  nat 
ural  tendency  is  to  that  error ;  and  it  shows,  therefore, 
how  much  more  incredible  it  is  that  men  should  them 
selves  have  devised  a  religion  which  thus  condemns 
their  principles.  All  men,  in  short,  and  especially 
Christians,  when  they  are  leading  an  unchristian  life 
(I  mean  a  life  on  unchristian  principles),  are  so  far  bear 
ing  witness  that  Christianity  could  not  have  come  from 
men. 

And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  absurd  extrava 
gances  into  which  some  fanatical  enthusiasts  have  fallen, 
and  which  have  given  occasion  to  unbelievers  to  throw 
ridicule  on  Christianity.  There  is  nothing  of  this  wild 
and  extravagant  character  in  our  sacred  books.  On 
the  contrary,  their  sobriety  and  calmness  of  tone  pre 
sent  a  striking  contrast  to  what  we  see  in  some  enthusi 
asts.  So  that  their  absurdities,  instead  of  being  an  ob 
jection  against  the  Gospel,  are  a  proof,  on  the  contrary, 


284  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

what  a  different  thing  the  Gospel  would  have  been  if  it 
had  been  the  work  of  enthusiasts. 

§  6.  To  take  another  instance :  it  has  been  brought 
as  an  objection  against  Christianity,  that  it  has  not  spread 
over  the  whole  world.  It  professes  to  be  designed  to 
enlighten  and  to  improve  all  mankind ;  and  yet,  after 
nearly  eighteen  centuries,  there  still  remains  a  very 
large  portion  of  mankind  who  have  not  embraced  it. 
All  the  most  civilized  nations,  indeed,  profess  the  Chris 
tian  religion  ;  but  there  are  many  millions  unconverted ; 
and  the  progress  of  the  religion  among  these  appears  to 
be  very  slow.  This  may  be  thought  very  strange  and 
unaccountable ;  but  at  least  it  shows  that  the  religion 
could  not  have  been  originally  founded  and  propagated 
by  mere  human  means.  The  nations  professing  Chris 
tianity  are  now  far  more  powerful  and  intelligent,  and 
skilful  in  all  the  arts  of  life,  than  the  rest  of  mankind  ; 
and  yet,  though  they  send  forth  many  active  and  zealous 
missionaries,  the  religion  makes  less  progress  in  a  cen 
tury  than  it  did  in  a  few  years  when  it  was  preached 
by  a  handful  of  Jewish  peasants  and  fishermen,  with 
almost  all  the  wealthy  and  powerful  and  learned  op 
posed  to  them.  We  cannot  come  near  them  in  the 
work  of  conversion,  though  we  have  every  advantage 
over  them  except  in  respect  of  miraculous  powers. 
And  therefore  we  have  an  additional  proof,  that,  if  they 
had  not  had  such  powers^  they  could  not  have  accom 
plished  what  they  did. 

§  7.  Again,  there  are  objections  against  our  sacred 
books  occasioned  by  the  mistake  of  some  injudicious 
Christians,  who  have  taken  a  wrong  view  of  the  object 
proposed  in  the  Bible. 


OBJECTIONS.  285 

These  persons  imagine,  and  teach  others  to-  imagine, 
that  we  are  bound  to  take  our  notions  of  astronomy,  and 
of  all  other  physical  sciences,  from  the  Bible.  And 
accordingly,  when  astronomers  discovered,  and  proved, 
that  the  earth  turns  round  on  its  axis,  and  that  the 
sun  does  not  move  round  the  earth,  some  cried  out 
against  this  as  profane,  because  Scripture  speaks  of  the 
sun's  rising  and  setting.  And  this  probably  led  some 
astronomers  to  reject  the  Bible,  because  they  were 
taught  that,  if  they  received  that  as  a  divine  revela 
tion,  they  must  disbelieve  truths  which  they  had  de 
monstrated. 

So  also,  some  have  thought  themselves  bound  to  be 
lieve,  if  they  receive  Scripture  at  all,  that  the  earth,  and 
all  the  plants  and  animals  that  ever  existed  on  it,  must 
have  been  created  within  six  days  of  exactly  the  same 
length  as  our  present  days.  And  this,  even  before  the 
sun,  by  which  we  measure  our  days,  is  recorded  to  have 
been  created.  Hence,  the  discoveries  made  by  geolo 
gists,  which  seem  to  prove  that  the  earth  and  various 
races  of  animals  must  have  existed  a  very  long  time  be 
fore  Man  existed,  have  been  represented  as  completely 
inconsistent  with  any  belief  in  Scripture. 

It  would  be  unsuitable  to  such  a  work  as  this  to  dis 
cuss  the  various  objections  (some  of  them  more  or  less 
plausible,  and  others  very  weak)  that  have  been  brought 
—  on  grounds  of  science,  or  supposed  science  —  against 
the  Mosaic  accounts  of  the  creation,  of  the  state  of  the, 
early  world,  and  of  the  flood,  and  to  bring  forward  the 
several  answers  that  have  been  given  to  those  objec 
tions.  But  it  is  important  to  lay  down  the  PRINCIPLE 
on  which  either  the  Bible  or  any  other  writing  or  speech 


286  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

ought  to  be  studied  and  understood ;  namely,  with  a  ref 
erence  to  the  object  proposed  by  the  writer  or  speaker. 

For  example  :  suppose  you  bid  any  one  proceed  in  a 
straight  line  from  one  place  to  another,  and  to  take  care 
to  arrive  before  the  sun  goes  down.  He  will  rightly 
and  fully  understand  you,  in  reference  to  the  practical 
object  which  alone  you  had  in  view.  Now  you  perhaps 
know  very  well  that  there  cannot  really  be  a  straight 
line  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  since  its  surface  is 
curved ;  and  that  the  sun  does  not  really  go  down,  only 
our  portion  of  the  earth  is  turned  away  from  it.  But 
whether  the  other  person  knows  all  this  or  not,  matters 
nothing  at  all  with  reference  to  your  present  object; 
which  was,  not  to  teach  him  mathematics  or  astronomy, 
but  to  make  him  conform  to  your  directions,  which  are 
equally  intelligible  to  the  learned  and  the  unlearned. 

Now  the  object  of  the  Scripture  revelation  is  to  teach 
men,  not  astrology  or  geology,  or  any  other  physical 
science,  but  Religion.  Its  design  was  to  inform  men, 
not  in  what  manner  the  world  was  made,  but  WHO  made 
it ;  and  to  lead  them  to  worship  Him,  the  Creator  of  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  instead  of  worshipping  his  crea 
tures,  the  heavens  and  earth  themselves,  as  gods,  which 
is  what  the  ancient  Heathen  actually  did. 

Although,  therefore,  Scripture  gives  very  scanty  and 
imperfect  information  respecting  the  eartli  and  the  heav 
enly  bodies,  and  speaks  of  them  in  the  language  and  ac 
cording  to  the  notions  of  the  people  of  a  rude  age,  still 
it  fully  effects  the  object  for  which  it  was  given,  when  it 
teaches  that  the  heavens  and  the  earth  are  not  gods  to  be 
worshipped,  but  that  "  God  created  the  heavens  and  the 
earth"  and  that  it  is  He  who  made  the  various  tribes  of 
animals,  and  also  man. 


OBJECTIONS.  287 

But  as  for  astronomy  and  geology  and  other  sciences, 
men  were  left  —  when  once  sufficiently  civilized  to  be 
capable  of  improving  themselves  —  to  make  discoveries 
in  them  by  the  exercise  of  their  own  faculties. 

§  8.  But  it  is  also  sometimes  objected,  that  our 
sacred  books  do  not  give  any  full  and  clear  revelation  of 
several  very  interesting  particulars,  which  men  would 
naturally  wish  and  expect  to  find  in  them.  For  exam 
ple,  there  is  not  only  a  very  short  and  scanty  account 
of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  of  its  condition  before 
the  flood,  but  there  is  little  said  about  angels,  and,  what 
is  more  remarkable,  there  is  no  full  and  particular  de 
scription  given  of  a  future  state,  and  of  the  kind  of  life 
which  the  blest  are  to  lead  in  Heaven.  All  these,  and 
especially  the  last,  are  very  curious  and  interesting  mat 
ters  ;  and  being  beyond  the  reach  of  Man  to  discover,  it 
appears  very  strange  to  some  persons  that  books  pro 
fessing  to  contain  a  divine  revelation  should  give  so 
very  brief  and  scanty  an  account  of  them,  and  leave 
such  a  natural  curiosity  unsatisfied. 

Now  this  is  a  difficulty  which  you  may  hereafter,  on 
attentive  reflection,  be  able  completely  to  explain.  You 
may  find  good  reasons  for  deciding  that  this  absence  of 
all  that  goes  to  gratify  mere  curiosity  is  just  what  might 
be  expected  in  a  revelation  really  coming  from  God. 
But  you  may  perceive  at  once  that  it  is  not  to  be  ex 
pected  in  a  pretended  revelation  devised  by  Men.  An 
impostor  seeking  to  gain  converts  by  pretending  to 
have  received  a  divine  revelation,  would  have  been 
sure  to  tempt  the  curiosity  of  the  credulous  by  giving 
them  a  full  description  of  matters  interesting  to  human 
minds.  He  would  have  sought  to  excite  their  feelings, 


288  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

and  amuse  their  imaginations,  by  dwelling  with  all  his 
eloquence  on  all  the  particulars  of  a  future  state,  and  on 
the  nature  and  history  of  good  and  evil  angels,  and  all 
those  other  things  which  are  so  scantily  revealed  in  our 
Scriptures.  And  a  wild  enthusiast,  again,  who  should 
have  mistaken  his  dreams  and  fancies  for  a  revelation 
from  Heaven,  would  have  been  sure  to  have  his  dreams 
and  fancies  filled  with  things  relating  to  the  invisible 
world,  on  which  a  diseased  imagination  is  particularly 
apt  to  run  wild. 

Even  though  you  should  be  unable,  therefore,  to  un 
derstand  why  the  Scriptures  should  be  such  as  they  are 
in  this  respect,  supposing  them  to  come  from  God,  you 
may,  at  least,  perceive  that  they  are  not  such  as  would 
have  come  from  Man.  In  this,  as  well  as  in  many  other 
points,  they  are  just  the  reverse  of  what  might  have 
been  expected  from  impostors  or  enthusiasts. 

§  9.  Lastly,  it  is  worth  while  to  remember,  that  all 
the  difficulties  of  Christianity,  which  have  been  brought 
forward  as  objections  against  it,  are  so  far  evidences  in 
its  favor,  that  the  religion  was  introduced  and  established 
in  spite  of  them  all.  Most  of  the  objections  which  are 
brought  forward  in  these  days  had  equal  force  —  and 
some  of  them  much  greater  force  —  at  the  time  when 
the  religion  was  first  preached.  And  there  were  many 
others  besides,  which  do  not  exist  now  ;  especially  what 
is  called  "  the  reproach  of  the  cross,"  —  the  scorn  felt 
towards  a  religion,  whose  founder  suffered  a  kind  of 
death  reckoned  in  those  days  the  most  disgraceful,  and 
whose  followers  were  almost  all  of  them  men  of  ob 
scure  station,  of  low  birth,  poor,  unlearned,  and  with 
out  woiidly  power. 


OBJECTIONS.  289 

Yet,  in  spite  of  all  this,  the  religion  prevailed.  And 
that  it  should  have  made  its  way  as  it  did,  against  so 
many  obstacles,  and  difficulties,  and  objections,  is  one  of 
the  strongest  proofs  that  it  must  have  had  some  super 
natural  means  of  overcoming  them,  and  that  therefore 
it  must  have  come  from  God. 


25 


LESSON    XV. 

MODERN   JEWS. PART    I. 

§  1.  ONE  of  the.  difficulties  with  which  the  minds  of 
some  Christians  are  perplexed  is,  that  Jesus  Christ 
should  have  been  rejected  by  the  greater  part  of  hig 
countrymen,  the  Jews;  and  that  they  who  had  been, 
according  to  our  Scriptures,  for  so  many  ages,  God's 
favored  and  peculiar  people,  should  be,  now,  and  for 
about  seventeen  centuries,  without  a  country,  and  scat 
tered  as  outcast  strangers  through  the  world. 

Their  present  condition  and  past  history  are  indeed 
something  very  extraordinary,  and  quite  unlike  what 
has  befallen  any  other  nation.  But  though  we  may  not 
be  able  to  explain  all  the  circumstances  relative  to  this 
wonderful  people,  it  will  be  found  on  reflection,  that 
they  furnish  one  of  the  strongest  evidences  for  the  truth 
of  the  very  religion  which  they  reject. 

You  know  that  when  the  Jews  received  the  law 
through  Moses,  they  were  promised  success  and  pros 
perity  as  long  as  they  should  obey  the  Lord ;  and  that 
heavy  judgments  were  denounced  against  them  in  case 
of  disobedience.  It  was  foretold  that  they  should  be 
defeated  by  their  enemies*  driven  from  their  country, 
scattered  abroad,  and  continually  harassed  and  op 
pressed.  These  threats  are  set  forth  in  various  parts 


MODERN    JEWS.  291 

of  the  books  of  Moses,  and  most  particularly  in  the 
twenty-eighth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  "  Thou  shalt 
become  an  astonishment,  a  proverb,  and  a  byword 
among  all  the  nations  whither  the  Lord  shall  lead  thee. 
....  The  .Lord  will  make  thy  plagues  wonderful,  and 
the  plagues  of  thy  seed,  even  great  plagues  of  long  con 
tinuance And  the  Lord  shall  scatter  thee  among 

all  people,  from  one  end  of  the  earth  even  unto  the 
other."  (ver.  37,  59,  64.) 

And  the  same  is  to  be  found  in  various  parts  of  the 
writings  of  several  of  the  prophets  who  lived  some  ages 
after.  In  particular,  there  is  one  in  Ezekiel,  which 
agrees  most  remarkably  in  one  very  curious  particular 
with  the  state  of  the  Jews  at  this  day ;  namely,  where 
he  declares  that  they  should,  in  the  midst  of  their  suf 
ferings,  remain  a  distinct  people,  unmixed  with  and  un 
like  other  nations  ;  although  it  appears  that,  in  his  time, 
they  were  very  much  disposed  to  unite  themselves  with 
the  rest  of  mankind,  so  as  to  become  one  of  the  Gentile 
nations,  and  to  lay  aside  all  the  distinctions  of  their 
own  race.  "  That  which  cometh  into  your  mind  shall 
not  be  at  all,  that  ye  say,  We  will  be  as  the  heathen,  as 
the  families  of  the  countries,  to  serve  wood  and  stone." 
(Ezekiel  xx.  32.) 

§  2.  Now  we  find  in  the  Old  Testament,  that,  in 
several  instances,  these  judgments  did  fall  on  the  Jews  ; 
and  especially  when  they  were  carried  away  captive  to 
Babylon.  And  some  person  may  suppose  that  these 
instance^  were  all  that  Moses  and  the  prophets  had  in 
view.  But  whatever  any  one's  opinion  may  be,  it  is  a 
fact  of  which  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  the  Jewish 
nation  are  actually  suffering,  at  this  day,  such  things  as 


292  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

Moses  and  the  prophets  predicted.  Whether  Moses  and 
Ezekiel  had  in  view  what  is  now  taking  place,  or  not, 
may  be  a  matter  of  opinio  n ;  but  it  is  a  matter  of  fact, 
that  what  is  now  taking  place  does  agree  with  their  pre 
dictions.  Jerusalem  and  its  Temple  were  taken  and 
burnt  by  the  Romans,  about  forty  years  after  the  cruci 
fixion  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  Jews  were  driven  from  their 
country,  and  never  allowed  to  settle  in  it  again.  Hun 
dreds  of  thousands  were  sold  as  slaves ;  and  the  whole 
people  were  cast  forth  as  wanderers  among  the  Gentiles ; 
and  they  have  ever  since  remained  a  nation  of  exiles,  un 
settled,  harassed,  and  oppressed,  in  many  instances  most 
cruelly,  not  only  by  Pagans  and  Mohammedans,  but 
also  (to  our  shame  be  it  spoken)  by  Christian  nations; 
and  still  remaining  a  distinct  people,  though  without  a 
home. 

§  3.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  points  relative  to 
these  predictions  respecting  the  Jews,  and  their  present 
condition,  is  this :  that  the  judgments  spoken  of  by 
Moses  were  threatened  in  case  of  their  departing  from 
the  law  which  he  delivered,  and  especially  in  case  of 
their  worshipping  false  gods  ;  and  yet,  though  in  former 
times  they  were  so  apt  to  fall  into  idolatry,  they  have 
always,  since  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  steadily 
kept  clear  of  that  sin ;  and  have  professed  to  be  most 
scrupulous  observers  of  the  law  of  Moses.  And  what 
is  more,  all  the  indignities  and  persecutions  that  any  of 
them  are  exposed  to,  appear  to  be  the  consequence  of 
their  keeping  to  their  religion,  and  not  of  their  forsak 
ing  it.  For  a  Jew  has  only  to  give  up  his  religion,  and 
conform  to  that  of  the  country  he  lives  in,  whether 
Christian,  Mohammedan,  or  Pagan,  and  lay  aside  the 


MODERN    JEWS.  293 

observances  of  the  law  of  .Moses,  and  he  immediately 
ceases  to  be  reproached  as  a  Jew  and  an  alien,  and  is 
mingled  with  the  people  around  him.  So  that  the  Jews 
of  the  present  day  seem  to  be  suffering,  for  their  observ 
ance  of  the  law,  just  the  penalties  threatened  for  their 
departure  from  it. 

At  first  sight,  this  seems  very  hard  to  explain ;  but,  on 
reflection,  you  will  find  the  difficulty  cleared  up,  in  such 
a  way  as  to  afford  a  strong  confirmation  of  your  faith. 
First,  you  should  observe,  that  the  Jews  themselves  ad 
mit  that  a  Christ  or  Messiah  was  promised  them ;  and 
that  to  reject  Him  on  his  coming  would  be  an  act  of  re 
bellion  against  the  Lord  their  God.  Moses  foretold 
that  the  Lord  should  raise  up  from  among  them  a  Proph 
et  like  Moses  himself;  and  "  whosoever  should  not  hear 
that  Prophet,"  God  "would  require  it  of  him";  and 
"  that  he  should  be  destroyed  from  among  the  people." 
(Deut.  xviii.  15  - 19  ;  Acts  iii.  22,  23.)  This  is  gener 
ally  understood  (as  it  is  applied  in  the  Acts)  to  relate  to 
the  Messiah  or  Christ ;  whom  the  other  prophetical  writ 
ers  of  the  Old  Testament  (as  both  Christians  and  Jews 
are  agreed)  more  particularly  foretold  and  described. 
Now  we  hold  that  the  Jews  have  been  guilty  of  this 
very  act  of  disobedience  in  rejecting  the  Christ.  And 
though  they,  of  course,  do  not  confess  themselves  thus 
guilty,  because  they  deny  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was 
the  true  Christ,  yet  they  so  far  agree  with  us  as  to  ac 
knowledge,  that  the  rejecting  of  the  true  Christ  on  his 
coming  would  be  such  a  sin  as  would  expose  them  to  the 
judgments  which  Moses  threatened. 

To  us,  therefore,  who  do  believe  in  Jesus,  this  affords 
an  explanation  of  their  suffering  these  judgments. 
25* 


294  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

§  4.  But,  secondly,  besides  this,  you  will  perceive,  on 
looking  more  closely,  that  the  Jews  of  these  days  do  not 
really  observe  the  law  of  Moses,  though  they  profess 
and  intend  to  do  so.  They  have,  indeed,  kept  to  the 
faith  of  their  forefathers  ;  but  not  to  their  religious  ob 
servances.  For  the  chief  part  of  the  Jewish  worship 
consisted  in  offering  sacrifices  distinctly  appointed  by 
the  Lord  himself,  in  the  law  delivered  by  Moses.  There 
was  a  sacrifice  appointed  to  be  offered  up  every  day,  and 
two  on  the  Sabbath ;  besides  several  other  sacrifices  on 
particular  occasions.  Now,  the  modern  Jews,  though 
they  abstain  from  certain  meats  forbidden  in  their  law, 
and  observe  strictly  the  Sabbath  and  several  other  or 
dinances,  yet  do  not  offer  any  sacrifices  at  all ;  though 
sacrifices  were  appointed  as  the  chief  part  of  their 
worship. 

The  reason  of  this  is,  that  they  were  strictly  forbidden 
to  offer  sacrifices  except  in  the  one  place  which  should 
be  appointed  by  the  Lord  for  that  purpose.  And  the 
place  last  fixed  on  for  these  offerings  having  been  the 
Temple  at  Jerusalem,  which  was  destroyed  about  seven 
teen  hundred  years  ago,  and  has  never  been  restored, 
the  Jews  are  now  left  without  any  place  in  which  they 
can  lawfully  offer  the  sacrifices  which  their  law  enjoins. 

§  5.  The  Jews,  accordingly,  of  the  present  day, 
plead  that  it  is  not  from  wilful  disobedience  that  they 
neglect  these  ordinances,  but  because  they  cannot  help 
it.  But  to  say  that  it  is  not  their  own  fault  that  they 
do  not  observe  the  ordinances  of  their  religion,  is  quite 
a  different  thing  from  saying  that  they  do  observe  them. 
They  may  explain  why  they  cannot  keep  the  law  of 
Moses ;  but  they  cannot  say  that  they  do  keep  it. 


MODERN   JEWS.  295 

Now  Christians  hold  that  the  ceremonies  of  that  law 
were  not  originally  designed  to  be  observed  by  all  na 
tions,  and  for  ever ;  that  "  the  law  had  only  a  shadow 
of  good  things  to  come"  (Heb.  x.  1),  that  is,  of  the 
Gospel ;  and  that  it  was  designed  that  the  sacrificing  of 
lambs  and  bullocks  should  cease  at  the  coming  of  the 
Christ.  A  Jew,  on  the  contrary,  will  not  allow  that 
these  were  designed  ever  to  cease  ;  but  he  cannot  deny 
that  they  have  ceased,  and  that  for  above  seventeen 
centuries.  Let  a  Jew  explain,  if  he  can,  how  it  is  that 
for  so  long  a  time  Providence  has  put  it  out  of  the  pow 
er  of  the  Jews  to  observe  the  principal  part  of  their  re 
ligion,  which  they  maintain  was  intended  to  be  observed 
for  ever. 

§  6.  And  this  also  is  very  remarkable,  that  the  relig 
ion  of  the  Jews  is  almost  the  only  one  that  could  have 
been  abolished  against  the  will  of  the  people  themselves, 
and  while  they  resolved  firmly  to  maintain  it.  Their 
religion,  and  theirs  only,  could  be,  and  has  been,  thus 
abolished  in  spite  of  their  firm  attachment  to  it,  on  ac 
count  of  its  being  dependent  on  a  particular  place,  — 
the  Temple  at  Jerusalem.  The  Christian  religion,  or, 
again,  any  of  the  Pagan  religions,  could  not  be  abolished 
by  any  force  of  enemies,  if  the  persons  professing  the 
religion  were  sincere  and  resolute  in  keeping  to  it.  To 
destroy  a  Christian  place  of  worship,  or  to  turn  it  into  a 
Mohammedan  mosque  (as  was  done  in  many  instances 
by  the  Turks),  would  not  prevent  the  exercise  of  the 
Christian  religion.  And  even  if  Christianity  were  for 
bidden  by  law,  and  Christians  persecuted,  (as  has  in 
times  past  been  actually  done,)  still,  if  they  were  sin 
cere  and  resolute,  they  might  assemble  secretly  in  woods 


296  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

or  caves,  or  they  might  fly  to  foreign  countries,  to  wor 
ship  God  according  to  their  own  faith  ;  and  Christianity, 
though  it  might  be  driven  out  of  one  country,  would 
still  exist  in  others. 

§  7.  And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  Pagan  relig 
ions.  If  it  happened  that  any  temple  of  Jupiter,  or 
Diana,  or  Woden,  were  destroyed,  this  would  not  hin 
der  the  worshippers  of  those  gods  from  continuing  to 
worship  them  as  before,  and  from  offering  sacrifices  to 
them  elsewhere. 

But  it  was  not  so  with  the  Jews.  Their  religion  was 
so  framed  as  to  make  the  observance  of  its  ordinances 
impossible  when  their  Temple  was  finally  destroyed. 
It  seems  to  have  been  designed  and  contrived  by  Divine 
Providence,  that,  as  their  law  was  to  be  brought  to  an 
end  by  the  Gospel  (for  which  it  was  a  preparation),  so 
all  men  were  to  perceive  that  it  did  come  to  an  end,  not 
withstanding  the  obstinate  rejection  of  the  Gospel  by 
the  greater  part  of  the  Jews.  It  was  not  left  to  be  a 
question,  and  a  matter  of  opinion,  whether  the  sacrifices 
instituted  by  Moses  were  to  be  continued  or  not ;  but 
things  were  so  ordered  as  to  put  it  out  of  Man's  power 
to  continue  them. 


LESSOR    XVI. 

MODERN    JEWS. TART    II. 

§  1.  IT  is  likely  that,  when  Jerusalem  and  its  Temple 
were  destroyed,  several  of  the  Jews  who  had  till  then 
rejected  the  Gospel  may  have  been  at  length  converted, 
by  the  strong  additional  evidence  which  was  thus  afford 
ed.  They  saw  the  heavy  judgment  that  fell  on  their 
nation,  and  that  it  was  such  as  to  make  the  observance 
of  their  law  impossible.  They  saw  also,  that  the  event 
agreed  with  what  Jesus  had  predicted  forty  years  before. 
And  they  saw  too  that  those  of  his  followers  who  had  been 
living  in  Jerusalem  had  been  enabled  to  escape  destruc 
tion  by  following  his  directions,  and  fleeing  to  the  moun 
tains  as  soon  as  they  saw  Jerusalem  encompassed  by  an 
army.  It  is  therefore  likely  that  several  may  have  been 
led  by  this  additional  evidence  to  embrace  the  Christian 
faith.  But  of  this  we  have  no  records,  as  the  book  of 
Acts  takes  in  only  an  earlier  period.  And  in  that  book 
we  have  no  particulars  of  the  numbers  of  those  Jews 
who  were  converted ;  though  it  appears  they  must  have 
amounted  to  many  thousands,  —  indeed,  many  myriads, 
that  is,  tens  of  thousands,  as  is  said  in  the  original  Greek 
of  Acts  xxi.  20.  But  still  these  made  but  a  small  portion 
only  of  that  great  nation.  And  as  the  Jewish  Christians 
would  soon  become  mingled  with  the  Gentile  Christians, 


298  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

and  cease  to  be  a  separate  people,  hence  all  those  who 
are  known  as  Jews  at  this  day  are  the  descendants  of 
those  who  rejected  the  Gospel. 

These  are  computed  to  amount,  at  the  present  time, 
notwithstanding  the  prodigious  slaughter  of  them  at  the 
taking  of  their  city,  and  on  several  other  occasions,  to 
no  less  a  number  than  4,800,000,  scattered  through  va 
rious  parts  of  the  world  ;  everywhere  mixing  and  trad 
ing  with  other  nations,  but  everywhere  kept  distinct 
from  them  by  their  peculiar  faith  and  religious  observ 
ances.  And  everywhere  they  preserve  and  read  with 
the  utmost  reverence  their  sacred  books,  which  fore 
tell  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  or  Christ  at  a  time 
which  (by  their  own  computations)  is  long  since  past ; 
namely,  about  the  time  when  Jesus  did  appear.  Their 
books  foretell  also  such  judgments  as  their  nation  is 
suffering ;  and  foretell  too,  what  is  most  remarkable, 
that  notwithstanding  all  this  they  shall  still  remain  a 
separate  people,  unmixed  with  the  other  nations. 

§  2.  You  should  observe,  too,  that  these  prophecies 
are  such  as  no  one  would  ever  have  made  by  guess. 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  unlikely  than  the  events 
which  have  befallen  the  Jewish  nation.  Nothing  like 
them  has  ever  been  foretold  of  any  other  nation,  or 
has  ever  happened  to  any  other.  There  are,  indeed, 
many  cases  recorded  in  history  of  one  nation  conquer 
ing  another,  and  either  driving  them  out  of  the  country 
or  keeping  them  in  subjection.  But  in  all  these  cases 
the  conquered  people  who  have  lost  their  country  either 
settle  themselves  in  some  other  land,  or,  if  they  are 
wholly  dispersed,  generally  become  gradually  mixed 
and  blended  with  other  nations;  as,  for  example,  the 


MODERN    JEWS.  299 

Britons  and  Saxons,  and  Danes  and  Normans,  have 
been  mixed  up  into  one  people  in  England. 

The  only  people  who  at  all  resemble  the  Jews,  in 
having  been  widely  dispersed  and  yet  remaining  distinct, 
are  those  commonly  called  Gypsies,  and  whose  proper 
name  is  Zinganies,  or  Jinganies.  It  has  been  made 
out  that  they  are  an  East  Indian  nation,  speaking  a 
Hindoo  dialect.  And  they  are  widely  scattered  through 
the  world,  keeping  up  their  language,  and  some  customs 
of  their  own,  in  all  the  countries  through  which  they 
wander.  They  are  certainly  a  very  remarkable  people  ; 
and  if  there  had  been  any  prophecy  (which  there  was 
not)  of  their  being  thus  dispersed,  we  might  well  have 
believed  that  such  a  prophecy  must  have  come  from  in 
spiration. 

But  in  some  remarkable  points  their  condition  differs 
from  that  of  the  Jews,  and  is  less  unaccountable. 

First,  they  do  not  (like  the  Jews)  live  in  towns  among 
other  men,  and  in  houses ;  but  dwell  in  tents,  by  the 
road-sides,  and  on  commons,  leading  the  life  of  stroll 
ing  tinkers,  pedlers,  and  fortune-tellers.  This  roaming 
life,  of  course,  tends  to  keep  them  separate  from  the 
people  of  the  countries  in  which  they  are  found. 

§  3.  But,  secondly,  the  chief  difference  is,  that  the 
Gypsies  are  always  ready,  when  required,  to  profess 
the  religion  of  the  country,  whether  Christian  or  Mo 
hammedan,  or  any  other ;  seeming  to  have  no  religion 
of  their  own,  and  to  be  quite  indifferent  on  the  subject. 
The  Jews,  on  the  contrary,  always,  when  they  are  al 
lowed,  settle  in  towns  along  with  other  men ;  and  are 
kept  distinct  from  them  by  their  religion,  and  by  noth 
ing  else.  They  are  the  only  people  wno  are  every- 


300  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

where  separated  from  the  people  of  the  country  in  which 
they  live,  entirely  by  their  peculiar  faith  and  religious 
observances ;  and  that  too  though  their  religion  is  such 
(which  is  the  strongest  point  of  all)  that  the  most  im 
portant  part  of  its  ordinances  —  the  sacrifices  ordained 
in  their  law  —  cannot  be  observed  by  them. 

The  Jews,  therefore,  in  their  present  condition,  are  a 
kind  of  standing  miracle ;  being  a  monument  of  the 
wonderful  fulfilment  of  the  most  extraordinary  prophe 
cies  that  were  ever  delivered;  which  prophecies  they 
themselves  preserve  and  bear  witness  to,  though  they 
shut  their  eyes  to  the  fulfilment  of  them.  No  other  ac 
count  than  this  of  the  present  state  and  past  history  of 
the  Jews  ever  has  been  or  can  be  given,  that  is  not 
open  to  objections  greater  than  all  the  objections  put 
together  that  have  ever  been  brought  against  Chris 
tianity. 

§  4.  This,  then,  as  well  as  several  other  difficulties 
in  our  religion,  such  as  have  been  formerly  mentioned, 
will  be  found,  on  examination,  to  be,  —  even  when  you 
cannot  fully  explain  them,  —  not  so  much  objections 
against  the  truth  of  your  religion,  as  confirmations 
of  it. 

And  when  you  do  meet  with  any  objection  which  you 
are  at  a  loss  to  answer,  you  should  remember  (as  has 
been  above  said)  that  there  are  many  things  which  all 
men  must  believe,  in  spite  of  real  difficulties  which  they 
cannot  explain,  when  there  are  much  greater  difficulties 
on  the  opposite  side,  and  when  sufficient  proof  has  been 
offered. 

And  in  the  present  case  you  have  seen  that  it  is  not 
only  difficult,  but  impossible,  to  account  for  the  rise  and 


MODERN   JEWS.  301 

prevalence  of  the  Christian  religion,  supposing  it  not  to 
have  come  from  God. 

1.  It  certainly  was  introduced  and  propagated  (which 
no  other  religion  ever  was,  for  the  religion  taught  by 
Moses  we  acknowledge  as  part  of  our  ow?i)  by  an  ap 
peal  to  the  evidence  of  miracles.     Nothing  but  the  dis 
play  of  superhuman  powers  could  have  gained  even  a 
hearing  for  the  Apostles ;  surrounded  as  they  were  by 
adversaries  prejudiced  against  their  religion  by  their 
early  education  and  habits  of  thought  and  inclinations 
and  hopes.      And  these  superhuman  powers  were,  as 
you  have  seen,  acknowledged  at  the  time  by  those  ad 
versaries,  who  were  driven  to  attribute  the  Christian 
miracles  to  magic  arts. 

2.  And  you  have  seen,  too,  that  the  religion  itself,  and 
the  character  of  Jesus  Christ  as  drawn  in  the  Christian 
Scriptures,  and   the  whole  of  the  narrative  of  those 
books,  are  quite  different,  and  indeed  opposite  to  what 
might  have  been  expected  from  impostors  or  enthusi 
asts. 

3.  And,  lastly,  you  have  seen  that  many  of  the  diffi 
culties  that  have  been  brought  as  objections   against 
Christianity  turn  out,  on  careful  inquiry,  to  be  an  ad 
ditional  evidence  of  its  truth. 

Among  others,  this  is  remarkably  the  case  with  the 
difficulties  relating  to  the  history  and  condition  of  the 
Jewish  nation.  Though  you  may  not  be  able  fully  to 
explain  all  the  circumstances  relating  to  that  wonderful 
people,  you  may  learn  from  them,  what  they  refuse  to 
learn  from  themselves,  a  strong  proof  of  the  truth 
both  of  their  Scriptures  and  of  the  Gospel  which  they 
obstinately  reject.  It  is  so  ordered  by  Providence, 
26 


302  j,.  CHRISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 

that  even  that  very  obstinacy  is  made  to  furnish  an 
additional  proof  of  Christianity,  by  setting  them  forth 
before  all  the  world  as  a  monument  of  fulfilled  proph 
ecy. 

§  5.  There  are  several  other  instructions,  and  warn 
ings  also,  which  you  may  learn  from  attentively  reflect 
ing  on  the  case  of  the  Jews ;  and  I  will  conclude  by 
shortly  mentioning  a  few  of  these. 

First,  —  You  should  remember  that  when  you  see 
the  Jews,  both  formerly  and  now,  obstinately  keeping  to 
the  faith  of  their  forefathers,  merely  because  it  is  what 
they  were  brought  up  in,  and  refusing  to  listen  to  any 
reasoning  on  the  subject  of  religion,  a  Christian  has  no 
right  to  wonder  at,  or  to  blame  them,  if  he  does  the 
same  thing  himself;  that  is,  if  he  is  satisfied  to  take 
upon  trust  whatever  he  may  have  been  told,  and  is  re 
solved  neither  to  seek  nor  to  listen  to  any  arguments 
that  may  enable  him  "  to  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that 
is  in  him."  And  the  same  may  be  said  of  Moham 
medans  and  Pagans,  as  well  as  of  Jews.  Though  the 
Christian  happens  to  have  a  religion  that  is  right,  he 
is  not  more  right  than  they,  if  he  goes  on  the  same  plan 
that  they  do.  At  least,  he  is  right  only  by  chance,  if 
he  holds  a  faith  that  is  true,  and  holds  it  not  because 
it  is  true,  but  merely  because  it  is  that  of  his  fore 
fathers. 

§  6.  Secondly,  —  You  should  remember  that  we  are 
apt  to  make  much  less  allowance  for  the  unbelieving 
Jew,  than  for  Christians  who  lead  an  unchristian  life ; 
and  that  we  ought  to  do  just  the  contrary. 

It  is  difficult  for  us,  of  these  days,  to  understand  and 
fully  enter  into  the  great  difficulty  which  the  Jews  had 


MODERN   JEWS.  303 

(and  still  have)  in  overcoming  all  the  prejudices  they 
had  been  brought  up  in,  and  which  were  so  flattering  to 
their  own  nation  as  God's  favored  people.  It  was  a 
hard  task  for  them  to  wean  themselves  from  all  the 
hopes  and  expectations  of  temporal  glory  and  distinction 
to  that  nation;  hopes  which  they  and  their  ancestors 
had  cherished  for  so  many  ages.  No  doubt  it  was  a 
grievous  sin  in  them  to  give  way  to  those  prejudices, 
and  to  reject  the  Christ  as  they  did.  But  it  is  a  greater 
sin  to  acknowledge  Him,  as  some  Christians  do,  as  their 
Lord  and  Master,  and  to  "  believe  that  He  shall  come 
to  be  our  judge,"  and  at  the  same  time  to  take  no  care 
to  obey  his  precepts,  and  copy  the  pattern  of  his  life. 
This  is  more  truly  impiety  than  that  with  which  an  in 
fidel  is  chargeable.  For,  suppose  two  men  each  re 
ceived  a  letter  from  his  father  giving  directions  for  his 
children's  conduct ;  and  that  one  of  these  sons,  hastily, 
and  without  any  good  grounds,  pronounced  the  letter  a 
forgery,  and  refused  to  take  any  notice  of  it ;  while  the 
other  acknowledged  it  to  be  genuine,  and  laid  it  up  with 
great  reverence,  and  then  acted  without  the  least  regard 
to  the  advice  and  commands  contained  in  the  letter  ; 
you  would  say  that  both  of  these  men  indeed  were  very 
wrong,  but  the  latter  was  much  the  more  undutiful  son 
of  the  two. 

Now  this  is  the  case  of  a  disobedient  Christian,  as 
compared  with  infidels.  He  does  not,  like  them,  pro 
nounce  his  father's  letter  a  forgery,  that  is,  deny  the 
truth  of  the  Christian  revelation ;  but  he  sets  at  defiance 
in  his  life  that  which  he  acknowledges  to  be  the  Divine 
command. 

§  7.    Lastly,  you  should  remember  that  no  argument 


304  CHRISTIAN   EVIDENCES. 

you  can  bring  against  unbelievers  will  have  greater 
weight  with  most  of  them  than  a  Christian  life ;  and 
nothing,  again,  will  be  more  likely  to  increase  and  con 
firm  their  unbelief,  than  to  see  Christians  living  in 
opposition  to  the  precepts  and  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  and 
especially  to  see  them  indulging  bitter  and  unkind  and 
hostile  and  uncharitable  feelings  towards  their  fellow- 
creatures,  and  even  their  fellow-Christians. 

The  objection  thence  raised  against  the  Christian  re 
ligion  is  indeed  (as  has  been  above  said)  not  a  real  and 
sound  one  ;  but  still  it  will  be  raised,  and  therefore  you 
cannot  too  carefully  consider  how  much  you  will  have 
to  answer  for  if  you  contribute  to  bring  an  ill  name  on 
your  Christian  faith ;  and  if  you  do  not,  on  the  contrary, 
endeavor  to  the  utmost  "  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God 
our  Saviour  in  all  things." 


QUESTIONS    FOE    EXAMINATION. 


20 


QUESTIONS   FOR  EXAMINATION. 


LESSONS  ON  MORALS. 

LESSON  I. 

OUGHT  the  Law  of  the  Land  to  be  made  the  standard  of  moral 
right  and  wrong  ?  §  1. 

Give  a  reason  from  the  nature  and  extent  of  moral  duty?     §  1. 

The  essential  character  of  moral  conduct  precludes  the  law's  being 
made  the  standard  ?  §  2. 

Twofold  insufficiency  of  this  standard,  as  respects  moral  require 
ments?  §  2. 

Notions  of  right  and  wrong  not  dependent  on  human  laws  ?     §  3. 

What  has  led  some  to  doubt  the  existence  of  any  moral  sense  or 
faculty?  §  3. 

How  might  this  objection  be  answered?     §  3. 

Illustration  of  this  ?     §  3. 

What  inference  has  been  drawn  from  a  prevailing  mistake  as  to  the 
character  of  Scripture  ?  §  4. 

This  inference  disproved  by  the  real  character  of  Scripture  ?     §  6. 

By  its  omissions  ?     §  4. 

By  its  appeals  ?     §  4. 

Man's  supposed  natural  destitution  of  a  moral  faculty  inconsistent 
with  the  rule  of  judgment  laid  down  by  our  Lord?  §  5. 

With  the  exhortations  of  the  Apostles  ?     §  5. 

With  the  writings  of  Heathens  ?     §  5. 

So  also  with  the  character  of  God  as  given  in  Scripture  ?     §  6. 

In  what  sense  may  all  notions  of  morality  be  said  to  be  derived 
from  the  will  of  God?  §  6. 

Admitted  ground  of  obedience  to  the  Divine  command  inconsistent 
with  the  contrary  sense?  §§  6,  7. 


308  QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION. 

Distinction  between  the  possible  grounds  of  obedience  to  the  will  of 
another?     §  7. 
Illustrations  of  this  distinction  ?     §  7. 

LESSON  II. 

One  circumstance  contributes  to  confusion  of  thoughts  as  to  the 
origin  of  the  notion  of  duty  ?  §  1. 

Conduct  of  a  pious  man  in  such  a  case  ?     §  1. 

Ground  of  this  implicit  obedience  to  a  Divine  command  on  a  par 
ticular  point?  §  1. 

The  possibility  of  such,  a  creation  of  a  new  duty  implies  a  moral 
sense?  §  1. 

Illustration?     §  1. 

Distinction  between  Moral  and  Positive  Precepts  ?     §  2. 

Illustration  of  this  distinction  from  commands  to  children  ?     §  2. 

From  legislative  enactments  ?     §  2. 

From  private  contracts  ?     §  2. 

Instances  from  the  Jewish  Law  of  similar  distinction  ?     §  2. 

Important  distinction  with  regard  to  the  observance  of  these  two 
kinds  of  precepts  ?  §  3. 

This  distinction  exemplified  in  some  precepts  of  our  Lord?     §  3. 

And  in  some  injunctions  to  the  Israelites  ?     §  3. 

The  implicit  obedience  to  any  particular  Divine  command  is  in 
conformity  with  our  feelings  and  conduct  towards  our  fellow-men  ? 
§  4. 

The  imputation  of  sin  implies  a  Moral  Faculty?    §  5. 

This  evident  from  the  nature  of  sin  ?     §  5. 

Admission  of  this  in  the  limited  application  of  the  term  sin?     §  5. 

Effect  of  an  express  command  ?     §  5. 

This  effect,  how  spoken  of  by  Paul  ?    §  5. 

LESSON  III. 

Summary  of  the  last  two  Lessons?     §  1. 
What  is  our  next  inquiry  ?     §  1. 

What  does  Scripture  teach  in  the  first  place  in  reference  to  duty? 
§2. 

Opinions  of  the  ancient  philosophers  on  this  point?    §  2. 
Of  the  vulgar  among  the  ancient  heathen  ?     §  2. 
Character  of  their  worship?     §  2. 
Contrast  presented  by  our  Scriptures  ?     §  2. 


QUESTIONS    FOB   EXAMINATION^  309 

Effect  of  the  Divine  approbation  of  Virtue  ?     §  3. 

The  necessity  for  this  encouragement,  —  whence  arising?     §  3. 

No  positive  gratification  from  compliance  with  the  dictates  of  con 
science?  §  3. 

Gracious  direction  of  our  natural  desire  for  approbation.     §  3. 

Scriptural  encouragement  to  Moral  Improvement  ?     §  3. 

Second  point  revealed  in  Scripture  in  reference  to  Moral  Duty? 
§4. 

The  necessity  for  this  aid?     §  4. 

To  what  attributed  by  some  ?     §  4. 

This  proved  to  be  erroneous,  both  by  reason  and  Scripture  ?     §  4. 

"What  does  Scripture  teach  us,  in  the  third  place,  in  reference  to 
Duty?  §  5. 

What,  in  the  fourth  place,  is  the  instruction  of  Scripture  in  refer 
ence  to  Duty?  §  5. 

A  moral  instructor  like  an  oculist  ?     §  5. 

LESSON  IV. 

The  true  character  of  the  moral  instruction  of  Scripture  explained 
by  a  rule  of  our  Lord's?  §  1. 

Probable  cause  of  the  rare  application  of  this  rule  ?     §  1. 

A  literal  compliance  with  the  rule  sometimes  absurd  ?     §  1. 

Sometimes  wrong?     §  1. 

Sometimes  impossible?     §  1. 

The  right  application  of  the  rule?     §  2. 

First  notions  of  right  and  wrong  not  derived  from  it?     §  3. 

Its  real  design  ?     §  3. 

Danger  against  which  it  is  a  safeguard,  illustrated  in  the  case  of 
David?  §  3. 

Illustration  of  the  distinct  uses  of  Scripture  and  of  natural  Con 
science?  §  4. 

Possible  depravation  of  Conscience  illustrated  ?    §  5. 

Its  due  regulation  ?    §  5. 

LESSON  V. 

Peculiarity  of  the  Moral  teaching  of  the  Gospel  as  distinguishing  it 
from  the  Law  ?  §  1. 

Adaptation  of  the  teaching  of  the  Law  to  the  condition  of  the  Israel 
ites?  §  1. 

What  does  the  Gospel  substitute  for  precise  rules  ?    §  1. 


310  QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION. 

Tendency  of  men  to  prefer  precise  rules  ?     §  2. 

Internal  evidence  here  afforded  of  the  Divine  origin  of  our  religion  ? 
§  2. 

Instances  of  this  tendency  in  human  nature  ?     §  3. 

How  guarded  against  by  our  Lord  in  the  form  of  his  precepts  ? 
§  3. 

Moral  discretion  rendered  necessary  by  literal  compliance  -with 
some  precepts  involving  contradiction  ?  §  4. 

Or  by  literal  compliance  involving  something  wrong  ?     §  4. 

Or  by  its  restricting  too  much  the  scope  of  the  precept?     §  5. 

Teaching  of  Scripture  as  to  the  essential  character  of  moral  virtue? 
§  6. 

That  it  does  not  depend  on  the  outward  Act,  how  shown  to  be  gen 
erally  admitted?  §  6. 

In  what  sense  do  we  speak  of  an  outward  act  as  morally  good  or 
evil?  §  7. 

Two  requisites  in  the  intention  that  makes  it  morally  good?    §  7. 

LESSON  VI. 

Distinction  between  the  objects  in  view  in  conveying  instruction? 
§  1. 

The  design  of  our  Divine  Master's  discipline?     §  1. 

Essential  importance  of  motive  hereby  made  evident?     §  1. 

Bearing  of  this  design  on  good  works  by  proxy  ?     §  2. 

And  on  the  supposed  merit  of  good  works  ?     §  2. 

Error  on  this  point  from  misinterpretation  of  some  expressions  of 
Scripture?  §  2. 

Give  an  illustration  of  the  distinction  between  the  objects  for  which 
services  are  required  ?  §  3.  • 

And  an  illustration  serving  to  correct  a  mistake  as  to  the  merit  of 
good  works,  and  the  rewards  promised  in  Scripture  ?  §  3. 

Real  state  of  the  case  ?     §  4.      * 

Groundlessness  of  any  natural  claim  to  reward  evident  from  the 
nature  of  duty  ?  §  5. 

And  of  reward  ?    §  5. 

Teaching  of  Scripture  on  this  point  ?     §  6. 

Mistake  as  to  the  natural  connection  between  Reward  and  Punish 
ment?  §  6. 

Works  of  supererogation,  —  how  contrary  to  Scripture  and  Reason  ? 
$6- 


QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION.  311 

The  notion  of  a  self-earned  heavenly  happiness  opposed  to  Eeason 
and  Scripture?  §6.  (Note.) 

Supposed  objection  to  the  need  of  Christ's  atoning  work?    (Note.) 
How  may  it  be  answered  ?    (Note.) 
Wise  saying  of  Scaliger  ?     (Note.) 

LESSON  VII. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  find  that  the  law  of  the  land  is  not  to 
be  made  the  standard  of  right  and  wrong,  for  two  reasons  ?  §  1. 

And  that  conscience,  or  the  Moral  Faculty,  is  a  part  of  the  human 
constitution?  §  1. 

And  that  man  has  need  of  Eevelation  ?     §  1. 

And  that  good  works  can  have  no  merit  in  the  sight  of  God?     §  1. 

Two  things  requisite  to  form  a  virtuous  character?     §  1. 

These  two  things,  why  alike  indispensable  ?     §  2. 

Illustration  of  the  several  conditions  in  which  either  of  these  requi 
sites  is  wanting  ?  §2. 

The  Apostle  Paul's  description  of  one  who  acts  against  his  con 
science?  §  2. 

This  sort  of  description,  how  shown  not  to  be  limited  to  those 
•whose  knowledge  is  derived  from  a  divine  revelation  ?  §  2. 

The  notion  that  Paul,  in  Romans  vii.,  was  giving  a  literal  account 
of  his  own  state,  or  that  of  any  one  under  the  Gospel,  contradicted  by 
the  very  next  passage  ?  §  3. 

As  also  by  the  sixth  chapter  ?     §  3. 

As  well  as  by  a  passage  in  1  Corinthians  ?     §  3. 

Paul  is  describing  different  and  opposite  conditions  ?    §  3. 

How  do  some  persons  endeavor  to  escape  the  reproaches  of  con 
science?  §  4. 

When  only  can  the  plea  of  sincerity  be  admitted  as  a  palliation  of 
error?  §  4. 

Effect  upon  conscience  of  acting  against  conscience  ?     §  4. 

Design  of  the  teaching  of  Scripture  nullified  by  bias  of  the  mind  ? 
§4. 

Instances  of  misapplication  of  Scripture  from  this  bias  ?     §  5. 

To  what  may  such  students  of  Scripture  be  compared  ?     §  5. 

Dangerous  errors  arising  from  misinterpretation  of  Romans  vii. 
(Note.) 


312  QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION. 

LESSON  VIII. 

Is  the  fact  that  conscience  is  not  infallible,  a  ground  for  disregard 
ofit?  §  1. 

Paul's  judgment  on  this  point  ?     §  1. 

Principle  laid  down  by  Paul  with  regard  to  conscientious  scruples  ? 
§  1. 

Cases  in  which  a  wrong  principle  makes  it  impossible  to  act 
rightly?  §  2. 

Charity  and  self-distrust,  how  called  for  ?     §  2. 

Teaching  of  Scripture  as  to  the  necessity  of  vigilant  care  of  the 
moral  character  ?  §  3. 

The  consistency  of  the  dependence  on  the  Divine  blessing  with 
diligent  care,  illustrated  from  man's  procedure  in  the  concerns  of 
ordinary  life  ?  §  4. 

LESSON  IX. 

Increased  disquiet  of  conscience,  when  an  encouraging  sign  ?  §  1. 
•  Illustration  of  the  effect  of  increased  enlightenment  of  conscience  ? 
§  1. 

In  what  respect  does  the  Moral  Faculty  differ  from  our  other  facul 
ties  and  sentiments  ?  §  2. 

Exemplify  this  difference  ?     §  2. 

Does  virtuous  conduct,  then,  afford  no  gratification?     §  3. 

Instances  of  natural  feelings  graciously  made  sources  of  gratifica 
tion?  §  3. 

How  are  these  feelings  to  be  controlled  and  regulated  ?    §  4. 

This  control,  why  necessary  ?     §  4. 

Instances  of  its  necessity  ?    §§  4,5. 

LESSON  X. 

Distinction  between  the  control  exercised  by  Conscience  over  feel 
ings  and  over  act  ions  ?  §  1.  • 

Illustrated  from  something  similar  in  the  bodily  frame?     §  1. 

This  difficulty,  how  to  be  surmounted  ?    §  2. 

Self-deceit  as  to  feelings,  from  confounding  two  different  things  ? 
§  3. 

Feelings,  how  to  be  reached  ?     §  3. 

This  procedure,  that  of  the  Sacred  Writers?    §  3. 

Another  distinction  between  the  control  of  feelings  and  of  actions  ? 
§  4. 


QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION.  313 

Encouragement  to  the  steady  exercise  of  that  control  ?     §  4. 
Illustration  of  the  process   of  moral  reformation  from  grafting? 
§  4. 

Influence  of  actions  on  the  formation  of  moral  habits  ?     §  5. 
Moral  improvement  dependent  on  right  principle  ?     §  6. 

LESSON  XL 

Moral  improvement,  how  shown  to  be  dependent  upon  practice  ? 

§  1. 

Danger  from  familiarity  with  principles  not  reduced  to  practice  ? 
§  1. 

Formation  of  opposite  habits  under  similar  circumstances  ?     §  1. 

Mistake  on  this  point,  whence  originating  ?     §  1. 

Give  some  illustrations  ?     §§  1,2. 

Instructive  emblem  in  Scripture  of  a  mere  professor  of  religion  ? 
§  2. 

Persons  who  only  talk  of  religion  compared  to  an  unemployed 
steam-engine?  §  2. 

Practice  for  learning  equally  necessary  in  the  study  of  Scripture, 
and  in  all  pious  exercises  ?  §  2. 

Chief  difficulty  in  forming  good  moral  habits  ?    §  3. 

How  may  an  act  of  virtue  be  said  to  have  less  of  virtue  ?    §3. 

In  what  does  virtue  consist  ?     §  4. 

Why  is  the  term  not  applicable  to  the  Deity?    §  4. 

Estimate  of  virtue  in  any  particular  case,  how  to  be  formed  ?     §  4. 

Distinction  between  the  imitation  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  and  the 
following  of  the  example  of  a  Being  of  our  own  nature  ?  §  5. 

Example  of  the  Apostles,  how  far  imitable?     §  5. 

Mistakes  to  be  carefully  guarded  against  ?    §  5. 

LESSON  XII. 

Nature  of  the  example  held  out?  to  us  in  the  Lord  Jesus?    ^  1. 

Does  the  possession  of  human  feelings  by  the  Lord  Jesus  unfit  Him 
for  an  example  ?  §  2. 

The  example  of  the  Lord,  why  too  often  disregarded?    §  3. 

And  religious  veneration,  how  misdirected?    §  3. 

Illustration  of  both  these  errors?     §  3. 

Benefit  of  our  Lord's  example  not  dependent  on  clear  notions  of  his 
nature?  §  3. 

The  superiority  of  our  Lord's  example  over  all  models,  real  or 
imaginary?  §  4. 


314  QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION. 

Possible  mistake  in  reference  to  the  Old  Testament  characters? 

§  4- 

Advantage  afforded  for  the  study  of  Christ's  example  ?     §   4. 

How  may  imitation  be  a  departure  from,  rather  than  a  following 
of,  His  example  ?  §  5. 

LESSON  XILT. 

The  Apostles  in  a  different  position  from  our  Lord?     §  1. 

And  from  us  ?     §  1. 

Erroneous  imitation  of  our  Lord's  teaching  avoided  by  them  ?     §  2. 

Ground  on  which  our  Lord  exercised  the  right  of  giving  or  with 
holding  Divine  truth  ?  §3. 

Another  cause  of  erroneous  imitation  ?     §  4. 

Mistaken  imitation  of  the  fortitude  of  the  Apostles?     §  4. 

Suffering,  when  admirable  ?    §  4. 

Self-torment,  not  the  practice  of  the  Apostles  ?     §  5. 

Scriptural  sense  of  the  word  "  mortification"  ?     §  5. 

Mistaken  notion  of  the  system  of  the  early  Christians  with  regard 
to  property  ?  §  6. 

What  was  the  real  state  of  the  case  ?     §  6. 

How  is  this  evident  from  Scripture  ?     §  6. 

LESSOX  XIV. 

Mistakes  to  be  guarded  against  inr  studying  treatises  on  Morals  V 
§  1. 

What  is  likely  to  lead  to  this  mistake  ?     §  1. 

Distinction  between  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  the  moral  habits  ? 
§  1. 

What  is  meant  by  the  habit  of  virtue  ?     §  1. 

Another  distinction  between  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  the  moral 
habits?  §  2. 

One  cause  of  mistake  as  to  this  point?    §  3. 

Instances  of  apparent  and  unconnected  moral  virtues  ?    §  3. 

Oneness  of  virtue  evident  from  the  nature  of  virtue  ?     §  3. 

Testimony  to  this  oneness  by  our  Lord  and  His  Apostles  ?     §  4. 

It  is  also  maintained  by  Aristotle  ?     §  4. 

Duty  with  regard  to  the  principle  adopted  ?     §  5. 

Sense  in  which  we  speak  of  a  character  as  inconsistent  ?     §  5. 

Illustrated  from  the  conduct  of  a  fanner?     §  5. 

Consistent  following  out  of  a  principle  will  test  the  principle? 
*  5. 


QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION.  315 

The  tendency  to  claim  merit  for  good  works  promoted  by  the 
notion  of  several  distinct  virtues  ?  §  6. 

LESSOX  XV. 

Different  parts  of  duty  easier  and  harder  to  different  persons. 
Why?  .§  1. 

Such  differences  analogous  to  those  in  bodily  constitution  ?     §  2. 

Man's  procedure  with  regard  to  bodily  health  often  reversed  in 
moral  conduct  ?  §  2. 

Effect  of  a  strong  tendency  in  judging  of  one's  own  character? 
§  2. 

Prudent  care  of  bodily  health  to  be  imitated  in  morals  ?    §  3. 

And  a  procedure  of  builders '?     §  3. 

How  may  this  be  carried  too  far  ?     §  3. 

What  may  help  us  to  guard  against  self-deceit?    §  3. 

What  help  may  we  have  analogous  to  that  of  a  physician  ?    §  3. 

Specification  of  virtues  not  necessary  ?     §  4. 

Its  absence  no  ground  of  complaint  ?     §  4. 

Divine  procedure  in  the  New  Testament  instruction?     §  5. 

The  omission  of  specific  rules,  how  supplied  to  the  Christian?    §  5. 

LESSON  XVI. 

Importance  of  a  right  understanding  of  the  matter  each  duty  re 
lates  to?  §  1. 

Illustration  of  that  principle  on  which  we  should  act  in  our  chan 
ties?  §  1. 

Fallacy  of  the  common  excuse,  "  It  is  such  a  one's  fault  "  ?    §  1. 

Amount  of  fault  not  to  be  estimated  by  what  it  relates  to  ?    §  2. 

Importance  of  small  matters  evident  from  the  design  of  moral 
discipline?  §  2. 

And  from  the  way  in  which  habits  are  formed  ? 

Distinction  between  Selfishness  and  Self-love  ? 

The  word  Self-love  how  sometimes  used  ?    §  3. 

Definition  of  Self-love  ?     §  3. 

Give  an  illustration  ?     §  3. 

Self-love  a  distinct  and  positive  quality?    §  3. 

In  what  respect  like  our  other  tendencies  ?    §  3. 

Selfishness  a  negative  quality?     §  3. 

How  consequently  does  it  show  itself?    §  3. 

Possible  selfishness  even  in  amiable  feelings  ?    §  3. 

The  safeguard  against  it  ?    §  3. 


316  QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION. 

Mistake  with  regard  to  escaping  temptation  ?     §  4. 
And  with  regard  to  self-appointed  duties  V     §  4. 
Ground  upon  which  the  Apostles  acted  ?     §  4. 
Opportunity  to  do  good,  how  to  be  used?     §  5. 
Conduct  of  "  the  children  of  this  world  "  an.  example  to  be  fol 
lowed?    §  5. 

LESSON  XVII. 

Proper  sense  of  words  ?     §  1. 

Falsehood  may  be  involved  in  literal  truth  ?     §  1. 

Give  an  instance  ?     §  1. 

Our  Lord's  declaration  before  Pilate,  how  proved  to  have  been 
used  in  its  plain  literal  meaning?  §  1. 

As  also  the  precepts  of  the  Apostles  about  submitting  to  every 
ordinance  of  man  ?  §  1. 

Moral  falsehood  not  necessarily  involved  in  a  literal  untruth  ?    §  2. 

Give  some  illustrations  of  this  principle  ?     §  2. 

The  rule  fixing  the  true  sense  of  a  declaration,  not  limited  to 
words?  §  3. 

Illustrations  of,  and  reason  for,  this  ?    §  3. 

The  condition  of  any  promise  should  be  expressed  ?     §  3. 

Cases  in  which  a  promise  is  not  binding  ?     §  4. 

How  then  were  the  Israelites  bound  to  their  promise  to  the  Gibeon- 
ites?  §  4.  (Note.) 

Caution  against  unwarily  giving  a  promise  of  secrecy?  §  4. 
(Note.) 

True  import  of  an  oath  ?     §  4. 

Official  oaths,  why  superfluous  ?    §4.     (Note.) 

A  promise  no  excuse  for  doing  anything  wrong  ?     §  4. 

The  guilt  of  falsehood  may  be  incurred,  though  everything  said 
may  be  quite  true  ?  §  5. 

This  illustrated  by  partial  truth  told  to  a  rustic  ?     §  5. 

Instance  in  an  inscription  discovered  at  Nineveh  ?  §  5. 

And  in  reserve  in  stating  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel?     §  5. 

Statement  of  a  falsehood  not  the  only  way  of  partaking  of  the 
guilt  of  it?  §  6. 

The  words  of  the  Psalmist,  how  applicable  to  such  a  case?    §  6. 

Cause  of  failure  in  strict  justice  of  those  not  indifferent  about 
duty?  §  6. 

Illustration  from  a  story  of  Cyrus,  nnd  from  some  supposed  cases? 
§  6. 


QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION.  317 

Cases  of  greatest  temptation  to  connive  at  falsehood  ?    §  7. 

A  double  guilt  hereby  incurred  ?     §  7. 

A  more  accurate  appellation  for  a  pious  fraud  ?     §  7. 

Not  to  undeceive  is  to  deceive  ?    §  7. 

Disingenuous  suppression  of  truth,  how  disguised?    §  7. 

Instance  of  suppressed  correction  of  error  ?     §  7. 

Danger  of  disregard  of  truth  in  unimportant  matters  ?    §  7. 

Evil  consequences  of  deception  ?     §  8. 

Paley's  remark  on  this  point  ?     §8. 

The  ultimate  expediency  of  truth  not  perceived  by  all  ?     §  8. 

LESSON  XVIII. 

The  sin  forbidden  by  the  tenth  commandment  does  not  consist  in  a 
strong  wish  for  what  belongs  to  your  neighbor?     §  1. 

Illustration?    (Note.) 

In  what  does  the  sin  of  coveting  consist?     §  1. 

Popular  mistakes  as  to  gaming,  how  favored?     §  1. 

Its  especial  characteristic  ?    §  1. 

All  other  objections  to  it  applicable  to  things  not  evil  in  themselves  ? 
§  1. 

Practical  use  of  being  early  taught  thus  to  regard  it  ?     §  1. 

Playing  where  there  is  no  sinful  coveting,  why  to  be  avoided  ?   §  1. 

Confusion  of  thought  leading  to  mistake  as  to  forgiveness  of  in 
juries?    §  2. 

In  what  light  is  one  who  has  personally  injured  us  to  be  viewed  ? 
§  2. 

What  is  not  required  by  the  duty  of  Christian  forgiveness.     §  2. 

Two  things  never  to  be  confounded?     §  2. 

Mistake  of  Christian  humility  as  regards  reason  ?    §  3. 

As  regards  blind  following  of  a  party  ?    §  3. 

As  regards  the  feelings  ?    §  3. 

A  breach  of  humility  as  to  speculative  points?     §  4. 

Two  opposite  breaches  of  humility  in  reference  to  the  reasons  of 
God's  dealings  with  man  ?    §  4,  and  note. 

A  good  reason  for  obedience  may  be  a  bad  reason  for  giving  the 
command?     §  4. 

Generic  Humility  not  necessarily  implying  personal  hnmility? 
§  4. 

What  real  humility  consists  in  ?     §  4. 

Just  estimate  of  one's  self  no  breach  of  duty  ?    §  5. 

To  what  do  the  terms  Self-conceit  and  Modesty  properly  apply  ? 
§  5.     (Note.) 


318  QUESTIONS    FOIl    EXAMINATION. 

Caution  to  the  possessor  of  superior  endowments  as  regards  him 
self?  §  5. 

As  regards  others  ?     §  5. 

General  confessions  of  sin,  when  no  proof  of  humility?     §  6. 

Nor  confession  without  amendment  ?     §  6. 

The  special,  constant  exercise  of  Christian  humility,  to  what  com 
pared?  §  6. 

Evidences  of  true  humility  ?     §  6. 

Conduct  not  to  be  estimated  by  the  opinions  of  men  in  general  ? 

§  7. 

Maxim  of  Bacon  ?    §  7. 
What  does  he  mean  by  "  vulgar"  ?     §  7. 
By  the  "  lowest  virtues  "  ?    §  7. 
By  "  the  highest "  ?     §  7. 

Instances  of  virtues  not  generally  approved  ?     §  8. 
Two  opposite  dangers  to  be  guarded  against?     §  8. 
General  practical  rule  ?    §  8. 

LESSON  XIX. 

A  duty  in  reference  to  our  moral  character  taught?     §  1. 

Proverb  applicable  to  postponement  of  this  duty  ?     §  1. 

Necessity  of  candor  in  self-examination  ?     §  2. 

"What  ought  not  to  be  our  standard  ?     §  2. 

Greater  importance  of  small  faults  in  ourselves  than  in  our  neigh 
bors?  §  9. 

Candor  in  self-examination  not  implying  a  looking  for  faults  only  ? 
§  3. 

The  opposite  opinion  a  mistaken  one  ?     §  3. 

Evil  consequences  of  hopelessness  of  moral  improvement  ?     §  4. 

Special  promise  of  our  Lord  ?     §  5. 

Procedure  of  the  Apostles  with  regard  to  their  converts  ?     §  5. 

Hopeful  vigilance  not  to  be  confined  to  outward  conduct  ?     §  5. 

LESSON  XX. 

Point  in  which  improvement  can  be  most  easily  marked?    §  1. 
What  part  is  this  of  the  Christian's  business  ?     §  1. 
Why  indispensable  ?     §  1. 

Diligent  study  of  the  Bible  necessary  from  the  nature  of  its  con 
tents?    §  2. 
Absurdity  of  a  random  perusal  illustrated  ?    §  2. 


QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION.  319 

Suggestions  for  the  profitable  perusal  of  it  ?     §  2. 

Which  of  all  cautions  on  this  head  is  the  most  important  ?    §  3. 

Outward  acts,  not  the  only  virtuous  practice  ?     §  4. 

Outward  acts,  how  far  virtuous  or  vicious  ?    §  4. 

The  Apostle's  enumeration  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  in  accordance 
with  this  principle?  §  4. 

Benefits  from  the  counsel  of  a  friend  ?     §  5. 

Proper  object  of  confession  ?     §  5. 

Cases  in  which  it  may  be  useful;  and  to  which  it  should  be 
limited?  §  5. 

Consciousness  of  sin,  when  a  promising  sign  ?     §  6. 

What  kind  of  Conscience  ought  to  be  sought  for  ?    §  6. 

The  effect  of  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  enlightening 
Conscience,  how  illustrated?  §  6. 

Importance  of  cultivating  a  habit  of  perfect  sincerity  in  confession 
of  sin?  §  6. 

Enumerate  some  of  the  most  important  points  hi  self-examina 
tion?  §  7. 


CHKISTIAN    EVIDENCES. 
LESSON  I. 

What  is,  perhaps,  the  most  common  reason  of  Christians  for  be 
lieving  Christianity? 

Has  this  always  been  the  case  ? 

Why  is  it  impossible  that  it  should  have  been  ? 

What  gods  can  you  name  formerly  worshipped  in  the  British  Isles  ? 

How  came  our  forefathers  to  cease  worshipping  them  ? 

What  religions,  besides  the  Christian,  are  there  now  in  the  world? 

What  makes  anybody  believe  in  them  ? 

Have  you  any  better  reason  for  believing  in  Christianity? 

What  is  your  duty  in  regard  to  having  a  reason  for  your  faith  ? 

How  did  the  Apostles  lead  the  Heathen  to  believe  in  Christianity? 

What  motives  had  the  Heathen  for  being  unwilling  to  believe  ? 

Could  the  evidence  offered  to  Heathens  consist  in  arguments  from 
Christian  experience  ? 

Why  not  ? 

What  treatment  did  the  first  converts  to  Christianity  receive  from 
their  countrymen  ? 


320  QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION. 

How  do  we  learn  this  ? 

What  must  we  infer  in  regard  to  the  proofs  by  which  they  were 
convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity  ? 

What  evidence  was  ever  offered  of  the  truth  of  a  Pagan  religion  ? 

What,  then,  is  there  peculiar  in  the  mode  in  which  Christianity  was 
introduced  into  the  world  ? 

What  is,  then,  the  presumption  in  regard  to  its  truth  ? 

LESSON  II. 

What  cause  had  our  fathers  and  other  Pagans  for  forsaking  their 
religion  ? 

Had  their  fathers  previously  forsaken  a  previous  faith  ? 

How  were,  then,  Pagan  religions  introduced? 

What,  then,  is  a  Pagan's  reason  for  believing? 

Are  there,  then,  no  accounts  of  miracles  in  Pagan  religions  ? 

What  is  the  difference  between  Pagan  and  Christian  accounts  of 
miracles  ? 

How  did  Mahomet  spread  his  religion? 

What  was  the  character  of  his  asserted  miracles  ? 

What,  then,  is  the  distinguishing  mark  in  the  foundations  of  Chris 
tianity  ? 

Is  the  study  of  evidences  inconsistent  with  faith  ? 

What  is  credulity  ? 

What,  Scripture  faith  ? 

What  renders  faith  difficult  ? 

What  prejudice  prevented  the  Jews  from  having  faith  in  Christ  ? 

What  did  they  say  of  his  miracles  ? 

By  what  sort  of  impostors  were  they  afterwards  deceived  ? 

What  showed  the  candid  mind  of  the  Bereans  ? 

How,  then,  shall  we  deserve  the  Apostolic  commendation  ? 

LESSON  III. 

On  whose  word  do  some  say  we  must  pin  our  faith  ? 

On  what  account? 

But  can  we  have  no  evidence  of  the  existence  of  the  Bible  in  the 
original,  and  of  its  meaning? 

How  do  we  know  that  France  and  Italy  exist  ? 

How,  that  travellers  do  not  deceive  us  ? 

How  do  we  know  that  the  earth  rotates,  or  that  it  revolves  about 
the  sun? 


QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION.  321 

How,  that  the  books  of  the  Bible  are  ancient  ? 
How,  that  they  are  well  translated  ? 
What  analogy  to  witnesses  at  court  ? 

What  points  are  thus  proved  of  the  English  New  Testament? 
What  further  evidence  concerning  the  Old  Testament  ? 
And  what  evidence  does  the  Old  Testament  give  concerning  the 
New? 

LESSON  IV. 

On  what  account  are  the  prophecies  more  instructive  to  us  than  to 
the  first  Christians  ? 

What  is  the  magnitude  of  the  change  wrought  by  Christ's  coming? 

How  many  nominal  Christians  in  the  world  ? 

How  many  Mahometans  ? 

Why  count  them  in  estimating  the  effect  of  Christianity  ? 

What  contrast  between  the  outward  coining  of  Christ  in  Judaea  and 
this  effect  ? 

What  is  the  usual  strain  of  Jewish  prophecy  in  regard  to  the  Mes 
siah's  times  ? 

Has  the  Jewish  nation  itself  seemed  to  fulfil  this  ? 

Does  the  spread  of  Christianity  ? 

What  comparison  would  you  make  between  the  argument  from 
prophecy  as  felt  by  the  Jews  at  Jesus's  day  and  by  us  ? 

What  evidence  in  the  New  Testament  that  the  argument  from 
prophecy  had  any  force  to  the  minds  of  men  at  that  day  ? 

LESSON  V. 

What  did  those  who  saw  Jesus's  miracles  do  to  test  his  claims? 

Is  a  miracle  supernatural  or  superhuman  ? 

Which  name  did  our  Lord  himself  give  them  ? 

To  whom  did  Jesus  impart  power  to  work  miracles  ? 

Could  they  impart  this  power  ? 

What  argument  shows  this  power  did  not  consist  in  the  knowledge 
of  a  new  natural  agent  ? 

What  conviction  was  forced  on  the  Jews  concerning  the  works  of 
Christ? 

Why  did  they  not,  then,  believe  that  God  was  with  him  ? 

What  proof  of  this  beside  the  New  Testament  history  ? 

If  the  Jews  of  our  Saviour's  day  had  denied  his  miracles,  whence 
could  this  tradition  have  arisen  ? 

21 


322  QUESTIONS    FOK    EXAMINATION. 

What  was  the  Pagan  view  of  the  subject  ? 
What  two  questions  did  the  men  of  our  Saviour's  times  ask  ? 
What  advantage  had  they  over  us  ? 
What  have  we  over  them  ? 

Beside  the  advantage  mentioned  in  the  book,  what  is  there  in  the 
fact  of  our  not  believing  in  magic  ? 

LESSON  VI. 

With  what  modern  fact  are  the  miracles  of  the  Xew  Testament 
connected  ? 

By  what  natural  means  can  you  account  for  the  present  preva 
lence  of  Christianity  ? 

Which  is  the  least  difficult  to  believe  of  these  three  propositions : 
that  an  effect  came  without  a  cause,  that  it  came  from  an  inadequate 
cause,  or  that  it  came  from  a  superhuman  cause  ? 

Which  do  you  believe  concerning  the  change  of  the  religion  of 
Europe  from  Paganism  to  Christianity? 

What  comparison  will  you  make  of  the  presence  of  sea-shells  on 
inland  mountains,  and  the  presence  of  Christianity  in  lands  far  from 
Judaea? 

Why  is  the  credulity  of  the  ancients  an  insufficient  cause  to  account 
for  their  reception  of  Christianity  ? 

Describe  the  manner  in  which  a  credulous  man  receives  evidences. 

How,  then,  would  credulous  Jews  and  Pagans  receive  the  proofs  of 
the  authority  of  Jesus  ? 

What  is  proved  as  to  the  facts  by  then:  credulously  attributing  the 
miracles  to  magic  ? 

What  are  the  contents  of  John  ix.  ? 

How  does  this  accord  with  what  wo  might  expect  ? 

What  effect,  then,  would  the  credulity  of  the  ancients  have  on  the 
spread  of  Christianity  ? 

What,  then,  does  its  rapid  spread  prove  ? 

This  rapid  spread  in  the  face  of  these  superstitious  prejudices 
proves  something  to  us  concerning  the  miracles;  what  is  it? 

With  what  words  does  the  chapter  close  ? 

LESSON  VII. 

What  evidences  are  there  of  the  truth  of  our  religion  to  be  found 
in  its  own  character  ? 

Why  would  a  Jew  of  the  days  of  Christ  have  been  of  all  men  most 
unlikely  to  invent  such  teaching  as  that  of  Jesus  ? 


QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION.  323 

Is  the  evidence  of  miracle,  then,  unnecessary  ? 

Why  not  ? 

What  is  the  relative  value  of  this  branch  of  evidence  to  us,  and  to 
those  of  the  Apostles'  days  ? 

What  connection  has  the  difficulty  of  proving  a  fact,  with  the 
value  of  that  fact  (if  proved),  as  evidence? 

Illustrate  this  by  the  sea-shells  on  mountains. 

Apply  it  to  the  Christian  miracles. 

How  might  we  alter  the  phrase,  "No  less  a  proof,"  when  we  re 
member  that  the  men  of  Jesus's  time  believed  in  magic  ? 

How  will  the  difficulty  of  believing  in  miracles  compare  with  the 
difficulty  of  believing  in  the  natural  origin  of  Christianity  ? 

How  do  the  outward  circumstances  of  Jesus  compare  with  the  out 
ward  triumphs  of  his  religion  ? 

What  aid  would  an  appeal  to  pretended  miracles  have  been  to  the 
Apostles  ?  , 

What  is  the  peculiar  distinction  between  Pagan  and  Christian  ac 
counts  of  miracles  ? 

What  is  the  distinctive  peculiarity  of  the  origin  of  our  religion? 

What,  then,  is  probable  as  to  the  number  of  miracles  ? 

What  confirmation  of  this  in  the  New  Testament  ? 

In  what  manner  are  they  there  mentioned  ? 

From  the  nature  of  the  case,  why  could  not  the  Apostles  have 
gained  a  hearing  without  miracle  ? 

What  effect  would  the  moral  character  of  the  Gospel  have  in  ob 
taining  a  hearing  for  it  ? 

What,  then,  was  the  first  mode  of  gaining  a  hearing  ? 

What  testimony  was  afterwards  sufficient  ? 

What  is  the  difference  in  value,  as  evidence  of  truth,  between 
suffering  for  opinion's  sake  and  suffering  for  testimony  given  ? 

Explain  the  reason  of  this  difference  ? 

But  how  should  the  Apostles  first  make  men  listen  to  this  testi 
mony? 

LESSON  VIII. 

Did  the  prevalent  belief  in  magic  make  it  more  or  less  easy  for 
Jesus  to  prove  his  authority  by  miraculous  works  ? 

What  passages  in  John  and  Matthew  are  in  point  ? 

What  is  needed  in  addition  to  the  reality  of  a  wonderful  event  to 
make  it  confirm  the  authority  of  Christ  or  his  Apostles  ? 

What  sort  of  miracles  does  the  Koran  narrate  ? 


324  QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION. 

What  did  Mahomet's  wonderful  victories  really  prove? 

What  did  he  attempt  to  make  them  prove  ? 

What  is  the  true  difference  between  a  wonder  and  a  sign  ? 

Illustrate  by  a  sudden  calm ;  by  reviving  from  a  trance ;  by  sud 
den  loss  of  sight. 

What  may  be  justly  asked  of  a  professed  messenger  from  God  ? 

Eepeat  the  distinction  between  a  wonder  and  a  sign. 

Why  is  this  distinction  often  overlooked  ? 

How  did  this  circumstance  operate  on  the  credit  given  to  the 
Apostles  ? 

What  inference  do  you  draw  concerning  their  miracles  ? 

LESSON  IX. 

What  amount  of  evidence  is  there  in  behalf  of  Christianity  ? 

What  men  have  ever  examined  it  all  ? 

What  proportion  of  the  whole  amount  of  proof  possible  is  necessary 
to  convince  ? 

What  proportion  does  the  evidence  which  you  have  studied  bear  to 
the  whole  ? 

What  is  the  first  evidence  drawn  from  the  mere  existence  of  Chris 
tianity  in  countries  formerly  heathen  ? 

What  evidence  is  drawn  from  the  fact  of  the  Apostles  appealing  to 
miracles  ? 

How  is  this  confirmed  by  comparison  with  Pagan  religions? 

What  did  the  people  of  the  Apostles'  day  say  of  the  miracles  ? 

Why  did  they  not  deny  their  reality  ? 

How  do  we  know  that  they  did  not  deny  it? 

What  force  has  this  fact  of  the  record  being  in  heathen  writings  ? 

What  testimony  have  we  that  the  early  Christians  suffered  in  be 
half  of  their  faith  ? 

What  do  you  argue  from  their  constancy  in  suffering  ? 

What  do  you  argue  from  a  man's  being  willing  to  suffer  for  his 
opinion's  sake  ? 

What  is  the  difference,  then,  between  opinion  and  knowledge  ? 

Why  is  it  unnecessary  to  understand  Greek  and  Hebrew  before 
attempting  to  understand  the  Bible  ? 

What  reason  have  you  for.  believing  that  our  translations  are 
correct? 

What  reason  for  believing  that  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  Scriptures 
are  really  ancient  books? 

What  particular  reason  for  believing  in  the  Old  Testament  ? 


QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION.  325 

What  must  be  the  character  of  a  rnind  that  is  not  satisfied  with  the 
evidence  which  we  have  now  reviewed  ? 

Can  one  judge  fairly  of  evidence,  when  he  does  not  wish  the  fact  to 
be  proved  ? 

How  does  credulity  lead  one  to  regard  evidence  ? 

What  effect  have  independent  arguments,  when  they  all  bear  upon 
the  same  point  ? 

The  arguments  of  the  present  Lesson  are  of  force  to  an  unbeliever's 
mind;  why  will  those  of  the  succeeding  Lessons  have  less  force  to  an 
unbeliever,  though  equally  convincing  to  a  believer  ? 

LESSON  X. 

What  four  suppositions  can  we  make  concerning  the  origin  of 
Christianity? 

How  is  the  truth  of  these  suppositions  tested  by  internal  evidence  ? 

Why  does  not  this  imply  that  we  are  to  be  judges  of  God  ? 

Of  whom  may  we  more  judiciously  judge? 

What  is  the  probability  that  Christianity  came  from  men? 

What  would  you  expect  from  scheming  men  as  to  the  books  of  a 
new  faith? 

Which  of  the  Gospels  is  attributed  to  a  distinguished  Apostle  ? 

What  was  the  rank  of  the  other  Evangelists  ? 

Why  is  high  antiquity  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  an 
argument  for  their  truth  ? 

How  is  a  high  antiquity  proved  by  the  authors'  names  ? 

How  by  the  non-use  of  the  word  Christian  ? 

How  often  and  in  what  manner  is  this  word  used  in  the  New  Testa 
ment? 

What  reason  does  Whately  give  for  the  Apostles  using  other  titles  ? 

How  does  the  validity  of  this  reasoning  affect  the  argument  for  the 
antiquity  of  the  books  ? 

What,  then,  is  the  reasoning  concerning  the  word  Christian  ? 

W'hat  was  the  expectation  of  the  Jews  ? 

How  did  the  pretended  Christs  fail  of  fulfilling  it? 

How  did  Jesus  fail? 

What  does  this  prove,  in  regard  to  his  character,  and  to  his  Apos 
tles'  character? 

What  further  opposition  in  Jesus  to  the  prejudices  of  the  Jews  ? 

Why  is  this  unlike  an  impostor? 

Why  unlike  an  enthusiast  ? 

How  might  these  arguments  be,  perhaps,  answered? 


326  QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION. 

"What  further  argument  would  you  bring  from  the  spiritual  pride 
of  the  Jews  ? 

How  is  this  confirmed  by  passages  in  the  New  Testament  history  ? 

How  might  an  unbeliever  attempt  to  evade  this  further  argument? 

What  answer  would  you  make  concerning  sacrifices  ? 

What  might  you  add  in  general  on  the  character  of  Christianity  ? 

What  argument  is  drawn  from  the  Gospel  estimate  of  zeal,  com 
pared  with  righteousness  ? 

Mention  passages  of  Scripture  illustrating  this  argument. 

LESSON  XL 

How  does  the  particular  kind  of  moral  duties,  inculcated  by  Jesus, 
prove  him  no  artful  or  designing  man  ? 

Illustrate  this  by  examples. 

How  is  a  similar  argument  to  be  drawn  from  his  treatment  of 
parties  ? 

What  is  the  peculiar  difference  between  the  morality  of  our  Lord, 
and  that  of  philosophers  of  that  day  ? 

What  strong  evidence  of  this  is  to  be  found  in  the  conduct  of  Chris 
tians  at  the  present  day  ? 

What,  then,  is  the  living  evidence,  to-day,  of  the  Divine  origin  of 
Christianity  ? 

What  argument  is  drawn  from  the  style  of  the  New  Testament  in 
regard  to  miracles  ? 

In  regard  to  sins  of  the  Apostles  ? 

What  additional  force,  in  much  internal  evidence,  arises  from  the 
multiplicity  of  books  in  the  New  Testament? 

What  is  the  summing-up  of  the  argument  against  the  human  origin 
of  the  Christian  Scriptures  ? 

Why  is  it  important  in  this  argument  to  remember  that  the  Apos 
tles  were  witnesses  of  the  resurrection  and  life  of  a  man  who  had  been 
crucified  and  buried  in  public  ? 

LESSON  XII. 

Why  does  the  author  decline  entering  on  the  argument  from  the 
character  of  our  Kedeemer? 

What  does  he  propose  to  us  instead  ? 

What  is  the  first  point  to  be  kept  in  mind? 

What  the  second  ? 

How  does  the  inability  of  men  to  draw  a  spotless  character  appear 
in  the  spurious  Gospels  ? 


QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION.  327 

When  -were  these  books  composed  ? 

How  have  they  been  received  ? 

What  contrast  between  them  and  the  Evangelists  ? 

What  is  the  third  point  to  be  remembered  ? 

Why  are  reasons  drawn  from  internal  evidence  better  to  have  than 
to  give  ? 

How  do  John  and  Paul  allude  to  it  ? 

Of  what  value  is  this  kind  of  evidence  ? 

What  kind  of  evidence  is  necessary  for  us  to  rest  our  faith  upon 
when  our  minds  are  harassed  by  doubts  ?  to  convict  us,  if  we  have 
lost  faith  by  first  losing  virtue  ? 

If,  while  in  doubt  and  darkness,  we  appeal  to  the  internal  evi 
dences,  where  may  it  lead  us  ? 

Illustrate  by  Jews,  by  Mahometans,  and  by  Pagans. 

What  is  the  true  course  for  an  inquiring  spirit  ? 

How  rapidly  will  the  confirmation  arising  from  experience  come  V 

What  evidence  of  sound  judgment  in  Apostles  from  their  view  of 
Christian  experience  ? 

What  bearing  has  this  on  our  estimate  of  their  testimony  concern 
ing  Jesus  and  his  miracles  ? 

NOTE  A. 

What  does  John  represent  the  officers  sent  to  apprehend  Jesus  as 
saying  on  their  return  ? 

What  appeal  does  he  represent  Jesus  as  making  to  the  Jews  ? 

Why  is  it  highly  improbable  that  such  an  appeal  should  be  made 
by  a  bad  man  ? 

What  difference  between  making  protestations  of  innocence,  and 
inviting  the  proof  of  charges  of  guilt  ? 

What  does  Matthew  say  of  the  witnesses  on  whose  testimony  Jesus 
was  condemned  to  death  ? 

What  of  Pilate's  words  ? 

What  does  Luke  say  of  Pilate's  words  ? 

What  does  Luke  represent  Peter  as  telling  the  Jews  concerning 
Pilate's  view  of  Jesus  ? 

What  does  Peter  himself  say  of  Jesus  ? 

And  why  is  it  most  probable  that  such  claims  could  not  have 
been  made  at  that  time  for  a  bad  man  ? 

Mention  circumstances  to  show  Jesus's  benevolence ;  mention  such 
as  show  kindness ;  such  as  show  meekness  or  humility ;  such  as  show 
sincerity;  singleness  of  purpose;  moderation,  coolness,  and  warmth 


328  QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION. 

of  human  affection.    Mention  any  other  passages  you  may  have  read 
in  the  New  Testament  which  show  our  Lord's  character. 

LESSON  XIII. 

What  refutation  of  the  proof  of  Christianity  do  unbelievers  make? 

How  do  they  explain  that  so  many  proofs  are  offered  to  establish 
what  they  think  a  false  story  ? 

What,  then,  do  writers  against  Christianity  do  ? 

What  is  the  difference  between  giving  reasons  for  believing  a  tiling, 
and  answering  objections  against  its  truth? 

Is  it  wise  to  shut  our  ears  entirely  against  hearing  such  objections  ? 

What  inference  might  be  drawn  by  an  unbeliever  from  such  a 
course  ? 

What  danger  do  some  seem  to  apprehend  ? 

What  reply  would  you  make  ? 

Why  may  you  be  willing  to  hear  objections  which  you  cannot 
answer  ? 

What  is  the  difference  between  an  unanswerable  objection  and  a 
fatal  objection  ? 

Illustrate  by  fossil  shells ;  by  the  Copernican  system ;  by  aerolites ; 
by  the  history  of  Napoleon. 

The  right  way  of  viewing  objections  consists  of  two  points.  What 
is  the  first? 

What  the  second? 

LESSON  XIV. 

Granting  the  truth  of  revelation,  what  proportion  does  revealed 
truth  bear  to  that  not  revealed  ? 

What  proportion  does  the  past  bear  to  the  future  in  history  ? 

In  the  soul's  life  ? 

How,  then,  may  Christianity  be  compared  to  an  inland  map? 

What  Scotch  proverb  is  quoted  as  in  point  ? 

What  reference  to  paper-making  ? 

What,  then,  should  we  say  to  things  difficult  to  be  understood  in 
revelation  ? 

How  will  your  minds  at  your  present  age  compare  with  what  they 
probably  will  be,  if  you  should  live  in  good  health,  and  be  faithful  in 
study,  for  ten  years  ? 

Are  all  difficulties  objections? 

Show  how  the  bad  lives  of  Christians  should  act  on  our  faith. 

But  how  iocs  it  really  act?  on  men's  faith  ? 


QUESTIONS    FOR    EXAMINATION.  329 

How  did  Jesus  speak  of  zeal  and  morality  ? 

What,  then,  does  the  bitter  zeal  of  some  loosely  moral  Christians 
show? 

How  bear  on  the  evidences  of  Christianity  ? 

What  argument  for  our  religion  is  drawn  from  the  fanatical  en 
thusiasm  of  some  sects  ? 

What  argument  may  be  drawn  from  the  present  slow  growth  of 
Christianity,  compared  with  its  rapid  spread  in  early  ages  ? 

What  is  the  object  of  the  Scriptures  ? 

What  ansAver,  then,  shall  we  make  to  those  who  object  to  the  un 
scientific,  popular  language  of  the  Bible  ? 

How  does  the  paucity  of  information  as  to  a  future  state  prove  the 
New  Testament  not  to  have  come  from  impostors  ? 

How,  that  it  does  not  come  from  enthusiasts  ? 

If  from  neither,  and  certainly  not  from  both,  whence  came  it  ? 

Are  the  objections  now  brought  forth  new  or  old  ? 

What  proof  does  this  furnish  ? 

What  hinderance  to  Christianity  in  its  early  spread  is  now  done 
away? 

LESSON  XV. 

How  does  Whately  think  the  condition  of  the  Jews  affects  the 
evidences  of  Christianity  ? 

What  threatenings  and  prophecies  does  their  present  condition  seem 
to  fulfil? 

When  was  Jerusalem  destroyed  ? 

What  became  of  the  Jews? 

On  what  account  did  Moses  threaten  them  ? 

On  what  account  do  they  appear  to  suffer  ? 

How  is  this  contradiction  explained  on  Christian  grounds  ? 

How  explained  even  on  Jewish  grounds  ? 

Why  do  the  Jews  cease  to  sacrifice  ? 

How  does  their  reason  for  ceasing  affect  the  question  ? 

The  fact  that  they  have  ceased,  —  how  explained  by  the  Christian 
and  by  the  Jew? 

What  peculiarity  in  Judaism  as  to  the  power  of  strangers  over  it? 

How  does  Christianity  afford  a  means  of  accounting  for  this  pecu 
liarity? 

LESSON  XVI. 

What  effect  did  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  have  on  the  Jews? 
How  many  of  the  descendants  of  unconverted  Jews  are  now  liv 
ing? 


330  QUESTIONS    FOR   EXAMINATION. 

"What  relation  do  they  bear  to  other  people  ? 

How  are  they  kept  separate  ? 

What  usually  becomes  of  a  conquered  people  ? 

What,  then,  do  you  infer  of  the  prophecies  that  they  shall  remain 
separate  ? 

What  other  people  mix,  and  yet  keep  separate  ? 

What  keeps  them  separate  ? 

How  do  the  Gipsies  regard  religion  ? 

What,  then,  is  the  peculiarity  of  the  Jews  ? 

What  objection,  then,  does  their  state  offer  to  Christianity? 

Under  what  three  heads  may  all  the  evidences  given  hi  this  book 
be  classed  ? 

Why  does  not  this  evidence  convince  the  Jew,  Mahometan,  and 
Pagan? 

Why  does  it  not  support  and  strengthen  many  Christians  ? 

How  will  you  compare  an  unbelieving  Jew  and  an  unchristian 
Christian  ? 

Lastly,  what  is  the  most  powerful  argument,  practically,  which 
you  can  offer  for  Christianity?  Repeat  Matt.  v.  16. 


THE    END. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall 


:,            ' 

LIU    . 

OCT 

JHS  ONLY    f 
Q    1QOQ 

- 

CIRCULATION  DFPT. 

SEP  8     1965 

&EC.  CIR.  QQf    3  •%} 

3Tr  ^L  ,^76® 

M^v  , 

JUN12  197060 


2310  > 


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LD  21A-60m-3,'65 
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University  of  California 

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